National Security Complex Research Articles

Migration of VOC Plume in the Subsurface Domain at the Y‐12 National Security Site

AbstractDuring the production of thermonuclear fusion weapons at the Y‐12 National Security Complex (Y‐12 NSC) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, between 1950 and 1963, the regional environment was extensively contaminated by volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Old Salvage Yard (OSY) on the western side of the site has been characterized as the major source of VOCs. In order to analyze the long‐term fate and transport of chlorinated VOC sources, an integrated surface and subsurface flow and transport model was developed for the Y‐12 NSC using the hydrodynamic and transport numerical package MIKE‐SHE. The model was developed considering the recent hydrogeological investigations on preferential flow and transport pathways at the site. The model was calibrated using the recorded groundwater flow and water‐quality data. The modeling simulated migration of the VOC plume for the next 100 years. Considering a range of hydrogeological and transport parameters, uncertainty of the results is discussed. The modeling predicted that tetrachloroethene, trichloroethene, and 1,2‐dichloroethene may exceed human health–related risk levels for the next 10 to 20 years. However, the contamination is unlikely to migrate to surface water under the current hydrogeological conditions and will decay below acceptable risk levels within approximately 20 years. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Verification and validation of the MCNPX-PoliMi code for simulations of neutron multiplicity counting systems

Neutron coincidence counting is widely used in nuclear safeguards. Simulations of these systems can be performed using Monte Carlo codes such as MCNPX to aid in calibration or measurement design. However, the MCNPX coincidence-counting routines treat particle histories individually, therefore the dead time of the acquisition electronics is not treated. The MCNPX-PoliMi code provides the ability to model detailed effects such as data-acquisition electronics and system dead times. A specialized post-processing code has been developed to interpret the collision-log file and determine the response of a 3He multiplicity counter. The MCNPX-PoliMi simulation provides the full neutron multiplicity distribution measured by the 3He tubes. This distribution is used to compute the singles, doubles, and triples rates which are the quantities used to determine 235U mass. MCNPX-PoliMi has previously been validated with passive multiplicity measurements. In this study, a detailed analysis of the measurement system operating in active mode is presented for uranium-oxide standards ranging from 0.5 to 4.0kg with a Canberra JCC-51 active well coincidence counter. MCNPX-PoliMi calculations are also compared with MCNPX. The two codes agree to within 1% for the cases with negligible dead times. The simulations are validated with measurements performed at the Y-12 National Security Complex.

Simulation of flow and mercury transport in Upper East Fork Poplar Creek, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

AbstractAs a result of nuclear processing activities started back in the 1950s, the environment in the vicinity of the Y‐12 National Security Complex (Y‐12 NSC) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and surrounding watersheds has been contaminated by nearly 1,000 tons of elementary mercury. To comply with the state and federal surface water quality standards, a significant reduction in mercury concentration to parts‐per‐trillion levels has been proposed. In order to analyze the mercury cycle in the environment and provide forecasting capabilities for the flow and transport of mercury within the Upper East Fork Poplar Creek (UEFPC) watershed, an integrated surface and subsurface flow and transport model has been developed using the hydrodynamic and transport numerical package, MIKE, developed by the Danish Hydraulic Institute. The model has been constructed and calibrated using an extensive collection of historical records (i.e., hydrological data, and mercury concentration measurements in groundwater, soil, and sediment) obtained from the Oak Ridge Environmental Information System database. Daily fluctuations in stream flow, as a result of scattered rainfall, flooding, and flow augmentation, resuspend the contaminated streambed sediments and/or erode the polluted streambank soil and provide a secondary source of mercury to the creek. In order to investigate the significance of sediment‐mercury interactions on the fate and transport of mercury within the UEFPC study domain, simulations were performed for two different cases (i.e., with and without consideration of sediment‐mercury interactions). Computed total suspended solids and mercury concentrations at the integration point of the creek are compared with the corresponding historical records in both cases. As confirmed by the numerical simulations, a substantial portion of the mercury detected in the river is likely in the form of sediment particle–bound mercury (i.e., mercury particulates). © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Origin and History of the International Metallographic Society

The International Metallographic Society (IMS) is rich with history. With roots dating back to the early days of the Manhattan Project, metallographers experienced in ferrous and copper alloys were faced with a new challenge. How does one safely prepare nuclear materials (uranium, plutonium, and other materials related to the US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) programs)? Some nuclear engineers expected metallographers to know as much about nuclear materials as they did about iron and copper alloys. The efforts of these pioneers helped to establish the basis for evaluating nuclear materials, and many of the techniques developed remain in use today. These techniques are a combination of science and art; in the early days, it took more than just a procedure to produce a desired result. It also took a developed instinct to know if a specimen was ready to come off the polishing wheel or if it needed a few more seconds for the perfect etch. Although the tasks facing them were daunting, metallographers are blessed with resourcefulness and an intense desire to solve new metallographic problems. Challenges presented by the group of nuclear materials and radioactive samples were met, and the science of metallography took a giant step forward. The methods and techniques developed for these metals and alloys have been extended to the study of nearly all present-day materials. The focus of the Manhattan Project was to develop the first atomic weapon during World War II. Metallographers supporting the Manhattan Project were employed by the AEC and its contractors. These experienced metallographers encountered textbook curiosities that dictated the need to develop new metallographic techniques. As a result, metallographers and scientists at each AEC laboratory developed their own techniques for safety control, specimen preparation, and microstructural interpretation. Each laboratory drew its own conclusions based on the microstructural interpretations. After World War II, wartime security restrictions began to ease and the AEC contractors began to hold periodic meetings. At an AEC Metallurgical Conference in January 1949, metallographers and metallurgists decided it would be useful to compare techniques for preparing and examining uranium. G. L. Kehl, Columbia University; A. U. Seybolt, Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory; and H. A. Saller, Battelle Memorial Institute-Columbus were asked to arrange an ad-hoc meeting to discuss the metallographic techniques and procedures being developed on uranium metallography. For the meeting, Battelle-Columbus agreed to fabricate and heat treat identical sets of natural uranium. These specimens were sent to other AEC-sponsored laboratories. Sixteen representatives from eight AEC laboratories met at Battelle-Columbus in July 1949 to exchange information. The success of this meeting led to further collaboration. Between 1950 and 1969, 22 AEC Metallography Group meetings were held, with attendance growing to as many as 60 in later years. By today’s standards, early meetings had exotic themes. For example, in advance of the June 1950 meeting, attendees received samples of crystal bar zirconium and zirconium-clad 6 wt.% uranium alloy. At the sixth meeting, which occurred in September 1952, attendees presented papers on the recent work of their respective laboratories and the first steering committee was elected. The Group elected Harriet Roman, MIT, as permanent S. Dekanich (&) Y-12 National Security Complex, P.O. Box 2009, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-8245, USA e-mail: dekanichsj@y12.doe.gov

Role of a Comprehensive Toxicity Assessment and Monitoring Program in the Management and Ecological Recovery of a Wastewater Receiving Stream

National Pollution Discharge Elimination Permit (NPDES)-driven effluent toxicity tests using Ceriodaphnia dubia and fathead minnows were conducted for more than 20 years to assess and monitor the effects of wastewaters at the United States (U.S.) Department of Energy Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12 Complex) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Toxicity testing was also conducted on water samples from East Fork Poplar Creek (EFPC), the wastewater receiving stream, as part of a comprehensive biological monitoring and assessment program. In this paper, we evaluate the roles of this long-term toxicity assessment and monitoring program in the management and ecological recovery of EFPC. Effluent toxicity testing, associated toxicant evaluation studies, and ambient toxicity monitoring were instrumental in identifying toxicant sources at the Y-12 Complex, guiding modifications to wastewater treatment procedures, and assessing the success of various pollution-abatement actions. The elimination of untreated wastewater discharges, the dechlorination of remaining wastewater streams, and the implementation of flow management at the stream headwaters were the primary actions associated with significant reductions in the toxicity of stream water in the upper reaches of EFPC from the late 1980s through mid 1990s. Through time, as regulatory requirements changed and water quality improved, emphasis shifted from comprehensive toxicity assessments to more focused toxicity monitoring efforts. Ambient toxicity testing with C. dubia and fathead minnows was supplemented with less-standardized but more sensitive alternative laboratory toxicity tests and in situ bioassays. The Y-12 Complex biological monitoring experience demonstrates the value of toxicity studies to the management of a wastewater receiving stream.

Exposure and genetics increase risk of beryllium sensitisation and chronic beryllium disease in the nuclear weapons industry

ObjectivesBeryllium sensitisation (BeS) and chronic beryllium disease (CBD) are caused by exposure to beryllium with susceptibility affected by at least one well-studied genetic host factor, a glutamic acid residue at...

Twenty-Five Years of Ecological Recovery of East Fork Poplar Creek: Review of Environmental Problems and Remedial Actions

In May 1985, a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit was issued for the Department of Energy's Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12 Complex) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA, allowing discharge of effluents to East Fork Poplar Creek (EFPC). The effluents ranged from large volumes of chlorinated once-through cooling water and cooling tower blow-down to smaller discharges of treated and untreated process wastewaters, which contained a mixture of heavy metals, organics, and nutrients, especially nitrates. As a condition of the permit, a Biological Monitoring and Abatement Program (BMAP) was developed to meet two major objectives: demonstrate that the established effluent limitations were protecting the classified uses of EFPC, and document the ecological effects resulting from implementing a Water Pollution Control Program at the Y-12 Complex. The second objective is the primary focus of the other papers in this special series. This paper provides a history of pollution and the remedial actions that were implemented; describes the geographic setting of the study area; and characterizes the physicochemical attributes of the sampling sites, including changes in stream flow and temperature that occurred during implementation of the BMAP. Most of the actions taken under the Water Pollution Control Program were completed between 1986 and 1998, with as many as four years elapsing between some of the most significant actions. The Water Pollution Control Program included constructing nine new wastewater treatment facilities and implementation of several other pollution-reducing measures, such as a best management practices plan; area-source pollution control management; and various spill-prevention projects. Many of the major actions had readily discernable effects on the chemical and physical conditions of EFPC. As controls on effluents entering the stream were implemented, pollutant concentrations generally declined and, at least initially, the volume of water discharged from the Y-12 Complex declined. This reduction in discharge was of ecological concern and led to implementation of a flow management program for EFPC. Implementing flow management, in turn, led to substantial changes in chemical and physical conditions of the stream: stream discharge nearly doubled and stream temperatures decreased, becoming more similar to those in reference streams. While water quality clearly improved, meeting water quality standards alone does not guarantee protection of a waterbody's biological integrity. Results from studies on the ecological changes stemming from pollution-reduction actions, such as those presented in this series, also are needed to understand how best to restore or protect biological integrity and enhance ecological recovery in stream ecosystems. With a better knowledge of the ecological consequences of their decisions, environmental managers can better evaluate alternative actions and more accurately predict their effects.

History of mercury use and environmental contamination at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant

Between 1950 and 1963 approximately 11 million kilograms of mercury (Hg) were used at the Oak Ridge Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12 NSC) for lithium isotope separation processes. About 3% of the Hg was lost to the air, soil and rock under facilities, and East Fork Poplar Creek (EFPC) which originates in the plant site. Smaller amounts of Hg were used at other Oak Ridge facilities with similar results. Although the primary Hg discharges from Y-12 NSC stopped in 1963, small amounts of Hg continue to be released into the creek from point sources and diffuse contaminated soil and groundwater sources within Y-12 NSC. Mercury concentration in EFPC has decreased 85% from ∼2000ng/L in the 1980s. In general, methylmercury concentrations in water and in fish have not declined in response to improvements in water quality and exhibit trends of increasing concentration in some cases.

The Role of Periphyton in Mediating the Effects of Pollution in a Stream Ecosystem

The effects of pollutants on primary producers ramify through ecosystems because primary producers provide food and structure for higher trophic levels and they mediate the biogeochemical cycling of nutrients and contaminants. Periphyton (attached algae) were studied as part of a long-term biological monitoring program designed to guide remediation efforts by the Department of Energy's Y-12 National Security Complex on East Fork Poplar Creek (EFPC) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. High concentrations of nutrients entering EFPC were responsible for elevated periphyton production and placed the stream in a state of eutrophy. High rates of primary production at upstream locations in EFPC were associated with alterations in both invertebrate and fish communities. Grazers represented >50% of the biomass of invertebrates and fish near the Y-12 Complex but <10% at downstream and reference sites. An index of epilithic periphyton production accounted for 95% of the site-to-site variation in biomass of grazing fish. Analyses of heavy metals in EFPC periphyton showed that concentrations of zinc, cadmium, copper and nickel in periphyton decreased exponentially with distance downstream from Y-12. Zinc uptake by periphyton was estimated to reduce the concentration of this metal in stream water approximately 60% over a 5-km reach of EFPC. Management options for mitigating eutrophy in EFPC include additional reductions in nutrient inputs and/or allowing streamside trees to grow and shade the stream. However, reducing periphyton growth may lead to greater downstream transport of contaminants while simultaneously causing higher concentrations of mercury and PCBs in fish at upstream sites.

Use of Portable Gamma Spectrometers for Identifying Persons Exposed in a Nuclear Criticality Event

At the Y-12 National Security Complex, triage-style assessments are used to identify persons potentially exposed to high doses from criticality accident radiations using portable instruments by assessing the presence of activated sodium atoms in a person’s blood. Historically, simple handheld Geiger-Mueller (G-M) probes were used for these purposes although it was recognized that since these instruments contain no information on incident photon energy, it was impossible to differentiate between photons emitted by contamination on the potentially exposed worker from activation of sodium in the person’s blood. This work examines the use of a portable gamma spectrometer for assessing blood sodium activation. Irradiations of a representative phantom were performed using two neutron source configurations (unmoderated and polyethylene-moderated 252Cf), and measurements were made using the spectrometer and a G-M detector following irradiation. Detection limits in terms of personnel neutron dose are given for two neutron fields representing metal and solution criticality spectra. Both G-M and spectrometer results indicate a low minimum detectable neutron dose indicating that both instruments are useful as an emergency response instrument. The spectrometer has the added benefit of discriminating between surface contamination and blood sodium activation.

Dismantlement of the TSF-SNAP Reactor Assembly

This paper describes the dismantlement of the Tower Shielding Facility (TSF)-Systems for Nuclear Auxiliary Power (SNAP) reactor, a SNAP-10A reactor used to validate radiation source terms and shield performance models at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) from 1967 through 1973. After shutdown, it was placed in storage at the Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12), eventually falling under the auspices of the Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) Disposition Program.To facilitate downblending of the HEU present in the fuel elements, the TSF-SNAP was moved to ORNL on June 24, 2006. The reactor assembly was removed from its packaging, inspected, and the sodium-potassium (NaK) coolant was drained. A superheated steam process was used to chemically react the residual NaK inside the reactor assembly. The heat exchanger assembly was removed from the top of the reactor vessel, and the criticality safety sleeve was exchanged for a new safety sleeve that allowed for the removal of the vessel lid. A chain-mounted tubing cutter was used to separate the lid from the vessel, and the 36 fuel elements were removed and packaged in four U.S. Department of Transportation 2R/6M containers. The fuel elements were returned to Y-12 on July 13, 2006.The return of the fuel elements and disposal of all other reactor materials accomplished the formal objectives of the dismantlement project. In addition, a project model was established for the handling of a fully fueled liquid-metal–cooled reactor assembly. Current criticality safety codes have been benchmarked against experiments performed by Atomics International in the 1950s and 1960s. Execution of this project provides valuable experience applicable to future projects addressing space and liquid-metal–cooled reactors.

Comparison of analytical and physical testing results for DPP-2 shipping package

Abstract The DPP-2 shipping package (DPP-2) has been under development by the Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12), Oak Ridge, TN. The Transportation Technologies Group (TTG) of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), at the request of the Y-12, performed physical testing of the DPP-2 as part of Y-12's effort to obtain US Department of Energy (DOE) Type B certification for this package. The certification testing included sequential drop and crush testing of several prototype units in many different orientations. Structural finite element analysis (FEA) was a heavily relied upon tool used during the design, development and certification of the DPP-2. Initially, FEA was used to rule out various design concepts. Once a more mature design had been arrived at, FEA was employed to determine testing orientations which would create maximum damage to the test units. Finally, FEA has been employed to answer certification reviewers' questions regarding items not explicitly covered by physical testing. Because current...

Changes in bacterial community structure correlate with initial operating conditions of a field-scale denitrifying fluidized bed reactor

High levels of nitrate are present in groundwater migrating from the former waste disposal ponds at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, TN. A field-scale denitrifying fluidized bed reactor (FBR) was designed, constructed, and operated with ethanol as an electron donor for the removal of nitrate. After inoculation, biofilms developed on the granular activated carbon particles. Changes in the bacterial community of the FBR were evaluated with clone libraries (n = 500 partial sequences) of the small-subunit rRNA gene for samples taken over a 4-month start-up period. Early phases of start-up operation were characterized by a period of selection, followed by low diversity and predominance by Azoarcus-like sequences. Possible explanations were high pH and nutrient limitations. After amelioration of these conditions, diversification increased rapidly, with the appearance of Dechloromonas, Pseudomonas, and Hydrogenophaga sequences. Changes in NO3, SO4, and pH also likely contributed to shifts in community composition. The detection of sulfate-reducing-bacteria-like sequences closely related to Desulfovibrio and Desulfuromonas in the FBR have important implications for downstream applications at the field site.

Use of Central Stonerollers (Cyprinidae: Campostoma anomalum) from Tennessee as a Bioindicator of Metal Contamination

We compared the levels of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, manganese, mercury and selenium in a small species of fish (Central stonerollers, Campostoma anomalum) collected from East Fork Poplar Creek (EFPC) and a reference site in eastern Tennessee. Stonerollers are minnows in the Cyprinidae family that serve as prey for many carnivores in aquatic systems. Fish were collected from East Fork Poplar Creek within the U.S. Department of Energy's Y-12 National Security Complex, part of the Oak Ridge Reservation, and from a reference stretch of the Little River in East Tennessee. Whole fish were homogenized for analysis. Concentrations of all metals (except arsenic) were significantly higher in stonerollers from EFPC compared to the reference site. Mercury levels in minnows from EFPC averaged 0.4 ppm (microg/g), four times higher than the average for fish in the U.S. in general. This was higher than levels in fish from the nearby Clinch River and higher than fillets of white bass (Morone chrysops) from the same creek. Most metal levels were inversely related to size and weight of the stonerollers, perhaps due to growth dilution.

Mass-Transfer Limitations for Nitrate Removal in a Uranium-Contaminated Aquifer

A field test on in situ subsurface bioremediation of uranium(VI) is underway at the Y-12 National Security Complex in the Oak Ridge Reservation, Oak Ridge, TN. Nitrate has a high concentration at the site, which prevents U(VI) reduction, and thus must be removed. An acidic-flush strategy for nitrate removal was proposed to create a treatment zone with low levels of accessible nitrate. The subsurface at the site contains highly interconnected fractures surrounded by matrix blocks of low permeability and high porosity and is therefore subject to preferential flow and matrix diffusion. To identify the heterogeneous mass transfer properties, we performed a novel forced-gradient tracer test, which involved the addition of bromide, the displacement of nitrate, and the rebound of nitrate after completion of pumping. The simplest conceptualization consistent with the data is that the pore-space consists of a single mobile domain, as well as a fast and a slowly reacting immobile domain. The slowly reacting immobile domain (shale matrix) constitutes over 80% of the pore volume and acts as a long-term reservoir of nitrate. According to simulations, the nitrate stored in the slowly interacting immobile domain in the fast flow layer, at depths of about 12.2-13.7 m, will be reduced by an order of magnitude over a period of about a year. By contrast, the mobile domain rapidly responds to flushing, and a low average nitrate concentration can be maintained if the nitrate is removed as soon as it enters the mobile domain. A field-scale experiment in which the aquifer was flushed with acidic solution confirmed our understanding of the system. For the ongoing experiments on microbial U(VI) reduction, nitrate concentrations must be low in the mobile domain to ensure U(VI) reducing conditions. We therefore conclude that the nitrate leaching out of the immobile pore space must continuously be removed by in situ denitrification to maintain favorable conditions.

The Separation of Beryllium from Selected Elements Using the Dipex® Extraction Chromatographic Resin

An extraction chromatographic resin containing the acidic chelating organophosphorus extractant, Dipex®, sorbed onto an inert polymeric substrate has been evaluated for the separation of beryllium from a wide range of elements. The elements selected comprise those which can interfere with the determination of beryllium by inductively coupled plasma‐atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP‐AES) and matrix elements which commonly occur in environmental and industrial samples. Based on batch uptake measurements, a method that separates beryllium from all potential ICP‐AES spectral interfering elements using a single extraction chromatographic column is outlined. The chromatographic parameters of the separation method have been optimized using simulated samples generated using the digestion process employed in beryllium analyses by the Y‐12 National Security Complex and simulated ground water samples.

Use of Skin and Blood as Nonlethal Indicators of Heavy Metal Contamination in Northern Water Snakes (Nerodia sipedon)

Relatively little is known about contaminants in reptiles, particularly snakes. The concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, manganese, mercury, and selenium were examined in blood and skin of 46 northern water snakes (Nerodia sipedon) in Tennessee and correlated with concentrations in internal tissues (liver, kidney, muscle) to determine if blood or skin could serve as a nonlethal indicator of internal metal exposure or body burden. Snakes were collected from the East Fork Poplar Creek (EFPC) within the United States Department of Energy's Y-12 National Security Complex (part of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory) and from a reference stretch of the Little River in East Tennessee. For blood, the only consistent positive correlations with internal organs were for mercury, and correlations were low except for muscle. Skin showed significant positive correlations with all three organs for mercury, chromium, selenium, and lead. For manganese and cadmium, skin level was positively correlated with liver level. Blood generally reflects recent exposure, not necessarily body burden, but in water snakes it correlates with body burden for mercury. Skin proved useful for more metals, although patterns were not necessarily consistent across sex and locality subgroups. The most consistent pattern was for mercury, the metal of greatest concern in many aquatic ecosystems, including EFPC.

Heavy Metal Concentrations in Northern Water Snakes (Nerodia sipedon) from East Fork Poplar Creek and the Little River, East Tennessee, USA

We compared the levels of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, manganese, mercury, and selenium in the blood, kidney, liver, muscle, and skin of northern water snakes (Nerodia sipedon) collected from the upper reach of East Fork Poplar Creek (EFPC) within the United States Department of Energy's (USDOE's) Y-12 National Security Complex with concentrations in tissues of northern water snakes from a reference reach of the Little River downstream from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in East Tennessee. Our objectives were to determine whether concentrations of these metals were higher in tissues of water snakes collected from EFPC compared with the reference site and if northern water snakes were suitable bioindicators of metal contamination. Except for chromium, metal levels were significantly higher in tissues (kidney, liver, muscle, and skin) of EFPC northern water snakes compared with those in tissues of snakes from the reference site. Although female northern water snakes were significantly larger than male snakes, their tissues did not contain significantly higher metal concentrations compared with those from male snakes, possibly because of maternal transfer of metals to eggs. This study was the first to examine the accumulation of contaminants resulting from the operations of the USDOE's Oak Ridge Reservation in snakes.

Response of Harshaw neutron thermoluminescence dosemeters in terms of the revised ICRP/ICRU recommendations

To monitor workers for external neutron radiation dose, the Y-12 National Security Complex utilises the thermoluminescence dosemeters (TLDs) manufactured by Harshaw. At Y-12, the majority of external dose to workers is due to low-energy photon and/or beta particles emitted from uranium and its progeny. However, some neutron dose is expected since neutrons are produced from (alpha,n) reactions in various compounds found at the plant, including UF4 and UF6. Neutron sources, such as 252Cf, are also used throughout the complex. The Harshaw neutron dosemeter consists of two gamma-sensitive elements (7Li) and two neutron-sensitive elements enriched in 6Li with various shielding/filter materials placed around each of them. In this work, the energy response of the dosemeter to neutrons has been calculated using the Monte Carlo transport code MCNP Version 4-C and, these results are compared with the measured response of the dosemeter to unmoderated and D2O-moderated 252Cf neutrons. The response of the dosemeter has also been determined in terms of the personal absorbed dose and personal dose equivalent as a function of neutron energy based on the recommendations of the ICRP Publication 60 and ICRU Report 49. The energy response of the dosemeter characteristics can be used to generate spectral conversion coefficients for routine neutron absorbed dose and dose equivalent calculations.

Summary of a Large- and Small-Scale Unreinforced Masonry Infill Test Program

A five-year, large- and small-scale, static and dynamic experimental research program, in which more than 700 tests were conducted, has demonstrated that unreinforced masonry infills are more ductile and resist lateral loads more effectively than anticipated by conventional code procedures. The tests were conducted both in the laboratory and on existing structures at the Department of Energy’s Y-12 National Security Complex. The experimental data indicate that the combination of a steel frame and infill material efficiently resists lateral loads—the infilling provides significant lateral stiffness while the surrounding frame adds ductility and confinement to the overall system. The results from approximately 25 moderate- and full-scale tests on infills showed that with simulated seismic loads the frames confined the masonry, and the load-carrying capacity of the infill was considerably above the load that caused initial cracking. This finding was a significant departure from classical code approaches that...