Comparison of ALOHA and EPIcode for Safety Analysis Applications

It is recommended that the safety analyst explicitly evaluate the strengths and limitations of any code before selecting it for a specific application. User skill and expertise can often outweigh most of the differences between ALOHA and EPIcode. Recognizing that EPIcode is inherently a scoping tool, while ALOHA is based on more detailed models, the user is recommended to perform a parameter sensitivity study to determine major dependences in the applied model and to check code output with independent techniques, such as a hand calculation, alternative computer code application, or spreadsheet techniques. A multi-tiered approach of this type will provide better confidence in overall results than to unilaterally use one code alone without questioning.