RESRAD-BUILD: A model to estimate dose from contaminated structures. Innovative technology summary report

The RESRAD-BUILD model is an exposure pathway and analysis code used to determine whether radiologically contaminated buildings and structures can be free released for a specific land use (e.g., residential or industrial). The model provides estimates of dose to a hypothetical receptor from the structure. The RESRAD-BUILD technology can calculate dose from variety of site-specific hypothetical scenarios, decay-time intervals, and radionuclides. When using the RESRAD-BUILD code, specific project assumptions must be developed with the appropriate regulatory agencies, especially the cleanup criteria and the exposure scenario to be used. The C Reactor demonstration of RESRAD-BUILD modeled hypothetical future use of below grade portions of the reactor building complex. A residential exposure scenario with a cleanup criteria of 15 mrem/yr above background (Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] draft guidance) was used to coordinate decommissioning with adjacent ongoing remedial actions conducted in accordance with an existing Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) Record of Decision. This paper gives a description of the technology and discusses its performance, applications, cost, regulatory and policy issues, and lessons learned