Critical mass experiment using U-235 foils-SiO{sub 2}-polyethylene plates

Fissile material in waste is frequently encountered in decontamination and decommissioning activities. Thousands of drums containing radioactive waste are stored in storage facilities throughout the DOE complex. The amount of fissile material in each drum is generally small because of the criticality safety limits that have been calculated using neutron transport computer codes such as MCNP, KENO, or ONEDANT. No experimental critical data are available to assure the correctiveness of the calculations for those systems containing fissile material (U-235, U-233, and Pu-239) in contact with matrix material (Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, CaO, MgO, and SiO{sub 2}) in the drums. The purpose of the U-235 foil-SiO{sub 2}-polyethylene experiment is to provide experimental data to validate the computer transport codes and the cross section data.