Based on the functional and operational requirements established by designers, analysts and code developers for greater fidelity of codes and models, verification and validation (V&V) establishes a technically rigorous foundation for the credibility of code results. V&V interfaces with Integrated Codes to obtain regular, official code releases from the code projects. Verification activities assess code precision in implementing numerical approximations and assess the accuracy of these numerical approximations. Validation activities aid in the understanding and assessment of a model's accuracy by comparing model predictions with experimental data. Quantification methodologies provide measures of the uncertainties associated with the simulations. Sound software quality engineering practices are used to ensure robust, efficient, and well documented software releases of the ASC codes.
Areas include:
- V&V Methods: Methods, measures, and standards necessary to assess the credibility of the ASC codes and models, quantify confidence in ASC calculation results, and measure the progress in the ASC predictive capabilities. This area is the entry point for advanced technologies in support of establishing credibility in code predictions.
- V&V Assessments: Science-based assessments of the predictive capability and uncertainties in the performance code's primary and secondary physics and related models to support the needs of the SSP. This area evaluates the models and numerical algorithms pertaining to primary applications and focuses on establishing credibility in primary simulation capabilities.
- Data Validation, Archiving, Software Quality Assurance, and Training: Provides traceable and reproducible work products and processes for certification (short and long term). This area includes integral validation of nuclear data that provide input physical data for various weapon-relevant materials; additionally, this area includes work product and data archiving and simulation pedigree tracking.
