At present, there are various methods applied in the multi-scale approach for nuclear fuels and structural materials for nuclear systems. These tools have been developed with differing objectives and for various nuclear materials. Most of them have been designed as research tools, even though some are considered for use in the frame of licensing. The different tools are in differing stages of development and have varied validation and verification status. These codes need to be continuously updated and maintained to ensure that they are fit for the design purpose. Under the guidance of the Nuclear Science Committee (NSC) and under the mandate of the Working Party on Multi-scale Modelling of Fuels and Structural Materials for Nuclear Systems (WPMM), the objective of the Expert Group on Benchmarks of Methods (EGVBM) is, therefore, to conduct comparative studies to evaluate and benchmark various methods applied for the multi-scale modelling of nuclear materials.

Objectives

The objectives of the expert group are to:

1. assess the accuracy and calculation time of the various first principle tools applied in the assessment of the properties of the nuclear materials
2. assess the accuracy and calculation time of the various classical molecular dynamic tools applied in the assessment of the properties of the nuclear materials
3. assess the accuracy and calculation time of the various dislocation dynamics tools applied in the assessment of the properties of the nuclear materials
4. define the needs for the development of the tools applied in the benchmarks
5. foster exchange of experience and dissemination of knowledge acquired by the application of the various simulation tools to nuclear materials.