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{{Adams | {{Adams | ||
| number = | | number = ML003740105 | ||
| issue date = | | issue date = 09/30/1997 | ||
| title = Software Test Documentation for Digital Computer Software Used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants | | title = (Draft Was DG-1056), Software Test Documentation for Digital Computer Software Used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants | ||
| author name = | | author name = | ||
| author affiliation = NRC/RES | | author affiliation = NRC/RES | ||
| addressee name = | | addressee name = | ||
| addressee affiliation = | | addressee affiliation = | ||
| docket = | | docket = | ||
| license number = | | license number = | ||
| contact person = | | contact person = | ||
| case reference number = DG- | | case reference number = DG-1056 | ||
| document report number = RG-1.170 | | document report number = RG-1.170 | ||
| document type = Regulatory Guide | | document type = Regulatory Guide | ||
| page count = | | page count = 8 | ||
}} | }} | ||
{{#Wiki_filter:U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION | {{#Wiki_filter:U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION | ||
REGULATORY | |||
September 1997 GUIDE | |||
OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REGULATORY RESEARCH | |||
REGULATORY GUIDE 1.170 | |||
(Draft was DG-1056) | |||
SOFTWARE TEST DOCUMENTATION FOR DIGITAL COMPUTER SOFTWARE | |||
USED IN SAFETY SYSTEMS OF NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS | |||
==A. INTRODUCTION== | ==A. INTRODUCTION== | ||
In 10 CFR Part 50, "Domestic Licensing of Pro duction and Utilization Facilities," paragraph 55a(aXl) | |||
requires, in part, that systems and components be de signed, tested, and inspected to quality standards com mensurate with the safety function to be performed. 1 Criterion 1, "Quality Standards and Records," of Appendix A, "General Design Criteria for Nuclear Power Plants," to 10 CFR Part 50 requires, in part, that a quality assurance program be established and imple mented in order to provide adequate assurance that sys | |||
/' | |||
tems and components important to safety will satisfac torily perform their safety functions. 1 Appendix B, | |||
"Quality Assurance Criteria for Nuclear Power Plants and Fuel Reprocessing Plants," to 10 CFR Part 50 | |||
describes criteria that must be met by a quality assur ance program for systems and components that prevent or mitigate the consequences of postulated accidents. | |||
In particular, besides the systems and components that directly prevent or mitigate the consequences of postu lated accidents, the criteria of Appendix B also apply to all activities affecting the safety-related functions of such systems and components, such as designing, pur chasing, installing, testing, operating, maintaining, or Iln this regulatory guide, many of the regulations have been paraphrased; | |||
see 10 CFR Part 50 for the full text. | |||
modifying. A specific requirement is contained in 10 | |||
10 | CFR 50.55a(h), which requires that reactor protection systems satisfy the criteria of IEEE Std 279-1971, | ||
"Criteria for Protection Systems for Nuclear Power Generating Stations." 2 Paragraph 4.3 of IEEE Std 2793 states that quality of components is to be achieved through the specification of requirements known to promote high quality, such as requirements for design, inspection, and test. | |||
Many of the criteria in Appendix B to 10 CFR | |||
Part 50 contain requirements closely related to the ac tivities of verification and testing. 1 Criterion I, "Organ ization," requires the establishment and execution of a quality assurance program. Criterion II, "Quality Assurance Program," requires the quality assurance program to take into account the need for verification of quality by inspections and tests. Criterion III, "Design Control," requires, in part, that measures be established for verifying and checking the adequacy of design, such as by the performance of a suitable testing program, and | |||
2Revision I of Regulatory Guide 1.153, "Criteria for Safety Systems," | |||
endorses IEEE Std 603-1991, "Criteria for Safety Systems for Nuclear Power Generating Stations," as a method acceptable to the NRC staff for satisfying the NRC's regulations with respect to the design, reliability, qualification, and testability of the power, instrumentation, and control portions of the safety systems of nuclear power plants. | |||
31EEE publications may be obtained from the IEEE Service Center, 445 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854. | |||
USNRC REGULATORY GUIDES | |||
The guides w'e issued In ft following ton broad disions: | |||
Regulatory Guides are issued to describe mnd mele available to the public such Worms lIn as methods acceptable to lhe NRC staff for irplemerolrlg spedfic parts of te Com- | |||
1 | ===1. Powereactors === | ||
6. Products mission'sreguietlons, techniques used by*t* staff in evaluang specific problems or | |||
- | |||
2. Research an TeT Reactors | |||
7. Transportadon iulated ascderns, aid data needed by fti NRC staff In Its review of applilcadIons for per- | |||
&. Fuels and Materials Facilties | |||
8. Occtional Health mits mid Scenses. Regulatory guides re not substitutes for regulations, emd con-p--nce | |||
4. Erironmental and Siting | |||
0. Anititrtnarid Firund Review with tien is not required. Methods aid soluhlors dliferent from those oet out in the guides | |||
& Materials mid Plant Protection | |||
10. Gera! | |||
wit be acceptable I hey provide a basis for fte finings requisite to t*e issuance or con Inec of 8 per.mit or Slcenes by the Commlisson. | |||
Skigle copies of regulatory guides may be obtained kee of charge bywriting te Prinrting, This guide was Issued after consideratIon of comments received from the public. Corn- Graphics aid Distribullon Branch, Office of Administnrtion, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Com merdt arclsuggestlons forimprovements Intheseguides weoncouraged stall times, and mision, Wasington, DC 2D555-0001; or by fatx a (301)415-5272. | |||
Idea wilt be revised, as appropriate, to accommodate comments mid to refect new in or vflbrv.Asedaa appaIssued guides may as be purchased from to National Technical Informtilon Service on Witten comments may be asubmitted to tie Rules Review mid Directives 8ranch. DFIPS, | |||
astandlng order basis. Details on fil service may be obtained by wrrdng NTIS, 5285 Port ADM, US. Nudear Reguatory Commisslon, Wasington, DC 2055 -0001. | |||
Royal Road, Springfield, VA 2161. | |||
that design control measures be applied to items such as the delineation of acceptance criteria for inspections and tests. Criterion V, "Instructions, Procedures, and Drawings," requires activities affecting quality to be prescribed by documented instructions, procedures, or drawings of a type appropriate to the circumstances and that these activities be accomplished in accordance with these instructions, procedures, or drawings. Crite rion V further requires that instructions, procedures, and drawings include appropriate quantitative or quali tative acceptance criteria for determining that impor tant activities have been satisfactorily accomplished. | |||
Criterion XI, "Test Control," requires establishment of a test program to ensure that all testing required to dem onstrate that structures, systems, and components will perform satisfactorily in service is identified and per formed in accordance with written test procedures that incorporate the requirements and acceptance limits contained in applicable design documents. Test proce dures must include provisions for ensuring that all pre requisites for the given test have been met, that ade quate test instrumentation is available and used, and that the test is performed under suitable environmental conditions. Criterion XI also requires that test results be documented and evaluated to ensure that test require ments have been satisfied. Finally, Criteria VI, "Docu ment Control," | |||
and XVII, "Quality Assurance Records," provide for the control of the issuance of doc uments, including changes thereto, that prescribe all activities affecting quality and provide for the mainte nance of sufficient records to furnish evidence of activi ties affecting quality. The latter requires test records to identify the inspector or data recorder, the type of ob servation, the results, the acceptability of the results, and the action taken in connection with any deficiencies noted. | |||
This regulatory guide endorses ANSI/IEEE Std | |||
829-1983, "IEEE Standard for Software Test Docu mentation," 3 with the exceptions stated in the Regula tory Position. This guide describes methods acceptable to the NRC staff for complying with parts of the NRC's regulations for achieving high functional reliability and design quality in software used in safety systems. 4 In particular, the methods are consistent with the pre viously cited General Design Criteria and the criteria for quality assurance programs of Appendix B as they apply to the documentation of software testing activi | |||
4The term "safety systems" is synonymous with "safety-related systems." | |||
The General Design Criteria cover systems, structures, and components | |||
"important to safety." The scope of this regulatosy guide is, however, limited to "safety systems," which are a subset of "systems important to safety." | |||
ties. The criteria of Appendices A and B apply to sys tems and related quality assurance processes, and if those systems include software, the requirements extend to the software elements. | |||
In general, information provided by regulatory guides is reflected in the Standard Review Plan (NUREG-0800). The Office of Nuclear Reactor Regu lation uses the Standard Review Plan to review applica tions to construct and operate nuclear power plants. | |||
This regulatory guide will apply to the revised Chapter | |||
7 of the Standard Review Plan. | |||
The information collections contained in this regu latory guide are covered by the requirements of 10 CFR | |||
Part 50, which were approved by the Office of Manage ment and Budget, approval number 3150-0011. The NRC may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information un less it displays a currently valid OMB control number. | |||
==B. DISCUSSION== | |||
The use of industry consensus standards is part of an overall approach to meeting the requirements of | |||
10 CFR Part 50 when developing safety systems for nuclear power plants. Compliance with standards does not guarantee that regulatory requirements will be met. | |||
== | |||
The | |||
However, compliance does ensure that practices accepted within various technical communities will be incorporated into the development and quality assur ance processes used to design safety systems. These practices are based on past experience and represent in dustry consensus on approaches used for development of such systems. | |||
Software incorporated into instrumentation and control systems covered by Appendix B will be referred to in this regulatory guide as safety system software. | |||
For safety system software, software testing is an im portant part of the effort to achieve compliance with the NRC's requirements. Software engineering practices rely, in part, on software testing to meet general quality and reliability requirements consistent with Criteria 1 and 21 of Appendix A to 10 CFR Part 50, as well as Cri teria I, II, III, V, VI, XI, and XVII in Appendix B. | |||
CFR | |||
Current practice for the development of software for high-integrity applications includes the use of a software life cycle process that incorporates software testing activities. See IEEE Std 1074-1991, "IEEE | |||
Std | Standard for Developing Software Life Cycle Pro cesses." 3 Software testing is a key element in software verification and validation activities, as indicated by IEEE Std 1012-1986, "IEEE Standard for Software Verification and Validation Plans," 3 and IEEE Std | ||
1.170-2 | |||
3. | 7-4.3.2-1993, "Standard Criteria for Digital Comput ers in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Generating Sta tions."3 The latter is endorsed by Revision 1 of Regula | ||
Std | ,' | ||
, | tory Guide 1.152, "Criteria for Digital Computers in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants." The consen sus standard, ANSI/IEEE Std 829-1983, "IEEE Stan dard for Software Test Documentation" (reaffirmed in | ||
1991), defines software test documentation and speci fies its form and content. The term 'documentation' is used here in accordance with the first meaning given in IEEE Std 610.12-1990, "IEEE Standard Glossary of Software Engineering Terminology," which defines documentation as a collection of documents on a given subject. IEEE Std 829-1983 describes a method for software test documentation consistent with the pre viously cited regulatory requirements as they apply to safety system software. | |||
- | |||
The documentation identified in IEEE Std | |||
829-1983 falls into three categories: test planning, test specification, and test reporting. All three categories provide for test information consistent with the require ments of Appendix B to 10 CFR Part 50, in particular, with the requirements of Criterion XI, "Test Control," | |||
as applied to software. The test planning category con sists of a test plan that addresses key aspects of the test program, such as scope, risks, tasks, resources, respon sibilities, and acceptance (pass or fail) criteria for the software item being tested. The test specification cate gory consists of test designs, test cases, and test proce dures that contain the detailed procedures and instruc tions for testing as well as the feature or test case acceptance criteria to be employed during the testing effort. This category is particularly relevant to Criterion V, "Instructions, Procedures, and Drawings." The test reporting category consists of transmittal reports, test incident reports, test logs, and test summary reports that provide for the recording and summarization of test events and that serve as the basis for evaluating test re sults. All information in this category is summarized in the test summary report. This category addresses the re quirements of parts of Criterion VI, "Document Con trol," Criterion XI, "Test Control," and Criterion XVII, | |||
"Quality Assurance Records," as applied to software. | |||
The documentation in the test reporting category con tains most of the specific information itemized in Crite rion XVII (although anomaly resolution typically will be handled through the change process of the software configuration management (SCM) function). IEEE Std | |||
829-1983 also provides for the inclusion of additional material in any of its defined documentation; therefore, any special testing information associated with unique circumstances may also be included. | |||
==C. REGULATORY POSITION== | |||
The requirements contained in IEEE Std | |||
829-1983, "IEEE Standard for Software Test Docu mentation," provide an approach acceptable to the NRC staff for meeting the requirements of 10 CFR | |||
Part 50 as they apply to the test documentation of safety system software subject to the exceptions listed below. | |||
The appendices to this standard are not covered by this regulatory guide. (In this Regulatory Position, the cited criteria are in Appendix B to 10 CFR Part 50 unless otherwise noted.) | |||
10. | To meet the requirements of 10 CFR 50.55a(h) and Appendix A to 10 CFR Part 50 as assured by complying with the criteria of Appendix B applied to the test docu mentation of safety system software, the following exceptions are necessary and will be considered by the NRC staff in the review of submittals from applicants and licensees. | ||
===1. TEST PROGRAM === | |||
Criterion XI, "Test Control," requires that a test program be established to ensure that all testing required to demonstrate that systems and components will perform satisfactorily in service is identified and performed in accordance with written test procedures that incorporate requirements and acceptance limits contained in applicable design documents. Criterion I, | |||
"Organization," Criterion II, "Quality Assurance Pro gram," Criterion III, "Design Control," Criterion V, | |||
"Instructions, Procedures, and Drawings," Criterion VI, "Document Control," and Criterion XVII, "Quality Assurance Records," contain requirements regarding information associated with testin | |||
====g. IEEE Std ==== | |||
829-1983 does not mandate the use of all of its software test documentation in any given test phase. It directs the user to specify the documents required for a particular test phase. If a subset of the IEEE Std 829-1983 docu mentation is chosen for a particular test phase, informa tion necessary to meet regulatory requirements regard ing software test documentation must not be omitted. | |||
As a minimum, this information includes: | |||
" | |||
Qualifications, duties, responsibilities, and skills required of persons and organizations assigned to testing activities, | |||
" | |||
Environmental conditions and special controls, equipment, tools, and instrumentation needed for accomplishing the testing, | |||
" | |||
Test instructions and procedures incorporating the requirements and acceptance limits in applicable design documents, | |||
1.170-3 | |||
"* Test prerequisites and the criteria for meeting them, | |||
"* Test items and the approach taken by the testing program, | |||
"* Test logs, test data, and test results, | |||
"* Acceptance criteria, and | |||
"* Test records indicating the identity of the tester, the type of observation, the results and acceptability, and the action taken in connection with any deficiencies. | |||
Any of the above information items that are not present in the subset selected for a particular test phase must be incorporated into the appropriate documenta tion as an additional item. | |||
2. SOFTWARE DOCUMENTATION | |||
Criterion VI, "Document Control," and Criterion XVII, "Quality Assurance Records," as well as 10 CFR | |||
21.51, "Maintenance and Inspection of Records," of | |||
10 CFR Part 21, "Reporting of Defects and Noncom pliance," require the control and retention of docu ments and records affecting quality. Since design con trol measures must be applied to acceptance criteria for tests and since some software test documentation is re used and evolves during the course of software devel opment and software maintenance (for example, re gression test documentation), such test documentation should be controlled as one or more configuration items under a software configuration management system. | |||
Test records, such as test reports, must be maintained as quality records and should be controlled by the soft ware configuration management system. | |||
===3. TEST DOCUMENTATION === | |||
IEEE Std 829-1983 describes software test docu mentation as a set of individual documents. It is accept able for the individual documents to be incorporated into larger test documents, provided the identity of each component document is retained. | |||
Std | |||
===4. SYSTEM TESTING === | |||
Criterion XI, "Test Control," requires that testing demonstrate that systems and components will perform satisfactorily in service. In section 4.2.2 of IEEE Std | |||
829-1983, in describing the features to be tested by a given test design, it is noted that other features may be exercised but not identified. Each feature in safety sys tem software is to be formally tested under at least one test design. | |||
===5. TRACEABILITY === | |||
Criterion XI, "Test Control," requires that testing demonstrate that systems and components will perform satisfactorily in service. Traceability analyses, relating functions and test cases, provide a means for ensuring that all functions are tested. These analyses are ad dressed in planning for software verification and val idation.5 In section 5.2.2, IEEE Std 829-1983 suggests consideration of supplying references to item docu mentation as part of test case documentation. These ref erences must be included in the test case documentation unless equivalent traceability information is main tained elsewhere in the verification and validation records. | |||
. | |||
6. OTHER CODES AND STANDARDS | |||
Standards endorsed by regulatory guides some times refer to other standards. These references to other standards should be treated individually. If a referenced standard has been incorporated separately into the NRC's regulations, licensees and applicants must com ply with that standard as set forth in the regulation. If the referenced standard has been endorsed in a regulatory guide, the standard constitutes a method ac ceptable to the NRC staff of meeting a regulatory re quirement as described in the regulatory guide. If a ref erenced standard has been neither incorporated into the NRC's regulations nor endorsed in a regulatory guide, licensees and applicants may consider and use the in formation in the referenced standard, if appropriately justified, consistent with current regulatory practice. | |||
==D. IMPLEMENTATION== | ==D. IMPLEMENTATION== | ||
The purpose of this section is to provide | The purpose of this section is to provide informa tion to applicants and licensees regarding the NRC | ||
staff's plans for using this regulatory guide. No backfit ting is intended or approved in connection with this guide. | |||
Except in those cases in which an applicant pro poses an acceptable alternative method for complying with the specified portions of the NRC's regulations, the methods described in this guide will be used in the evaluation of submittals in connection with applica tions for construction permits and operating licenses. | |||
This guide will also be used to evaluate submittals from operating reactor licensees that propose system modifi cations voluntarily initiated by the licensee if there is a clear nexus between the proposed modifications and this guidance. | |||
5SeC IEEE Std 1012-1986, "IEEE Standard for Software Verification and Validation Plans." | |||
1.170-4 K | |||
- | |||
- | |||
BIBLIOGRAPHY | |||
Hecht, H., A.T. Tai, K.S. Tso, "Class 1E Digital Sys tems Studies," NUREG/CR-6113, USNRC, October | |||
1993.1 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, "Stan dard Criteria for Digital Computers in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Generating Stations," IEEE Std | |||
7-4.3.2, 1993. | |||
Lawrence, J.D., "Software Reliability and Safety in Nuclear Reactor Protection Systems," | |||
- | NUREG/ | ||
CR-6101 (UCRL-ID-117524, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory), USNRC, November 1993.1 t Copies may be purchased at current rates from the U.S. Government Prin ting Office, P.O. Box 37082, Washington, DC 20402-9328 (telephone | |||
(202)512-2249); or from the National Technical Information Service by writing NTIS at 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22161. Copies are available for inspection or copying for a fee from the NRC Public Docu ment Room at 2120 L Street NW., Washington, DC; the PDR's mailing ad dress is Mail Stop LL-6, Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone | |||
(202)634-3273; fax (202)634-3343. | |||
Lawrence, J.D., and G.G. Preckshot, "Design Factors for Safety-Critical Software," NUREG/CR-6294, USNRC, December 1994.1 Seth, S., et al., "High Integrity Software for Nuclear Power Plants: Candidate Guidelines, Technical Basis and Research Needs," NUREG/CR-6263, USNRC, | |||
June 1995.1 USNRC, "Criteria for Digital Computers in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants," Regulatory Guide | |||
1.152, Revision 1, January 1996.2 USNRC, "Standard Review Plan," NUREG-0800, | |||
February 1984. | |||
2Single copies of regulatory guides may be obtained free of charge by writ ing the Office of Administration, Printing, Graphics and Distribution Branch, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC | |||
- | 20555-0001; orby fax at (301)415-5272. Copies are available for in spection or copying for a fee from the NRC Public Document Room at | ||
2120 L Street NW, Washington, DC; the PDR's mailing address is Mail Stop LL-6, Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone (202)634-3273; | |||
fax (202)634-3343. | |||
1.170-5 | |||
REGULATORY ANALYSIS | |||
- | A separate regulatory analysis was not prepared for this regulatory guide. The regulatory analysis prepared for Draft Regulatory Guide DG-1056, "Software Test Documentation for Digital Computer Software Used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants," provides the regulatory basis for this guide. A copy of the regulatory analysis is available for inspection and copying for a fee at the NRC | ||
Public Document Room, 2120 L Street NW., Washington, DC; the PDR's mailing address is Mail Stop LL-6, Washington, DC 20555-0001; phone (202)634-3273; | |||
- | fax (202)634-3343. | ||
- | |||
1.170-6 | |||
- | |||
Federal Recycling Program | |||
-I | |||
UNITED STATES | |||
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION | |||
WASHINGTON, DC 20555-0001 FIRST CLASS MAIL | |||
POSTAGE AND FEES PAID | |||
USNRC | |||
PERMIT NO. G-67 OFFICIAL. BUSINESS | |||
PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE, $300}} | |||
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Latest revision as of 02:07, 17 January 2025
| ML003740105 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 09/30/1997 |
| From: | Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research |
| To: | |
| References | |
| DG-1056 RG-1.170 | |
| Download: ML003740105 (8) | |
U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
REGULATORY
September 1997 GUIDE
OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REGULATORY RESEARCH
REGULATORY GUIDE 1.170
(Draft was DG-1056)
SOFTWARE TEST DOCUMENTATION FOR DIGITAL COMPUTER SOFTWARE
USED IN SAFETY SYSTEMS OF NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
A. INTRODUCTION
In 10 CFR Part 50, "Domestic Licensing of Pro duction and Utilization Facilities," paragraph 55a(aXl)
requires, in part, that systems and components be de signed, tested, and inspected to quality standards com mensurate with the safety function to be performed. 1 Criterion 1, "Quality Standards and Records," of Appendix A, "General Design Criteria for Nuclear Power Plants," to 10 CFR Part 50 requires, in part, that a quality assurance program be established and imple mented in order to provide adequate assurance that sys
/'
tems and components important to safety will satisfac torily perform their safety functions. 1 Appendix B,
"Quality Assurance Criteria for Nuclear Power Plants and Fuel Reprocessing Plants," to 10 CFR Part 50
describes criteria that must be met by a quality assur ance program for systems and components that prevent or mitigate the consequences of postulated accidents.
In particular, besides the systems and components that directly prevent or mitigate the consequences of postu lated accidents, the criteria of Appendix B also apply to all activities affecting the safety-related functions of such systems and components, such as designing, pur chasing, installing, testing, operating, maintaining, or Iln this regulatory guide, many of the regulations have been paraphrased;
see 10 CFR Part 50 for the full text.
modifying. A specific requirement is contained in 10
CFR 50.55a(h), which requires that reactor protection systems satisfy the criteria of IEEE Std 279-1971,
"Criteria for Protection Systems for Nuclear Power Generating Stations." 2 Paragraph 4.3 of IEEE Std 2793 states that quality of components is to be achieved through the specification of requirements known to promote high quality, such as requirements for design, inspection, and test.
Many of the criteria in Appendix B to 10 CFR
Part 50 contain requirements closely related to the ac tivities of verification and testing. 1 Criterion I, "Organ ization," requires the establishment and execution of a quality assurance program. Criterion II, "Quality Assurance Program," requires the quality assurance program to take into account the need for verification of quality by inspections and tests. Criterion III, "Design Control," requires, in part, that measures be established for verifying and checking the adequacy of design, such as by the performance of a suitable testing program, and
2Revision I of Regulatory Guide 1.153, "Criteria for Safety Systems,"
endorses IEEE Std 603-1991, "Criteria for Safety Systems for Nuclear Power Generating Stations," as a method acceptable to the NRC staff for satisfying the NRC's regulations with respect to the design, reliability, qualification, and testability of the power, instrumentation, and control portions of the safety systems of nuclear power plants.
31EEE publications may be obtained from the IEEE Service Center, 445 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854.
USNRC REGULATORY GUIDES
The guides w'e issued In ft following ton broad disions:
Regulatory Guides are issued to describe mnd mele available to the public such Worms lIn as methods acceptable to lhe NRC staff for irplemerolrlg spedfic parts of te Com-
1. Powereactors
6. Products mission'sreguietlons, techniques used by*t* staff in evaluang specific problems or
-
2. Research an TeT Reactors
7. Transportadon iulated ascderns, aid data needed by fti NRC staff In Its review of applilcadIons for per-
&. Fuels and Materials Facilties
8. Occtional Health mits mid Scenses. Regulatory guides re not substitutes for regulations, emd con-p--nce
4. Erironmental and Siting
0. Anititrtnarid Firund Review with tien is not required. Methods aid soluhlors dliferent from those oet out in the guides
& Materials mid Plant Protection
10. Gera!
wit be acceptable I hey provide a basis for fte finings requisite to t*e issuance or con Inec of 8 per.mit or Slcenes by the Commlisson.
Skigle copies of regulatory guides may be obtained kee of charge bywriting te Prinrting, This guide was Issued after consideratIon of comments received from the public. Corn- Graphics aid Distribullon Branch, Office of Administnrtion, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Com merdt arclsuggestlons forimprovements Intheseguides weoncouraged stall times, and mision, Wasington, DC 2D555-0001; or by fatx a (301)415-5272.
Idea wilt be revised, as appropriate, to accommodate comments mid to refect new in or vflbrv.Asedaa appaIssued guides may as be purchased from to National Technical Informtilon Service on Witten comments may be asubmitted to tie Rules Review mid Directives 8ranch. DFIPS,
astandlng order basis. Details on fil service may be obtained by wrrdng NTIS, 5285 Port ADM, US. Nudear Reguatory Commisslon, Wasington, DC 2055 -0001.
Royal Road, Springfield, VA 2161.
that design control measures be applied to items such as the delineation of acceptance criteria for inspections and tests. Criterion V, "Instructions, Procedures, and Drawings," requires activities affecting quality to be prescribed by documented instructions, procedures, or drawings of a type appropriate to the circumstances and that these activities be accomplished in accordance with these instructions, procedures, or drawings. Crite rion V further requires that instructions, procedures, and drawings include appropriate quantitative or quali tative acceptance criteria for determining that impor tant activities have been satisfactorily accomplished.
Criterion XI, "Test Control," requires establishment of a test program to ensure that all testing required to dem onstrate that structures, systems, and components will perform satisfactorily in service is identified and per formed in accordance with written test procedures that incorporate the requirements and acceptance limits contained in applicable design documents. Test proce dures must include provisions for ensuring that all pre requisites for the given test have been met, that ade quate test instrumentation is available and used, and that the test is performed under suitable environmental conditions. Criterion XI also requires that test results be documented and evaluated to ensure that test require ments have been satisfied. Finally, Criteria VI, "Docu ment Control,"
and XVII, "Quality Assurance Records," provide for the control of the issuance of doc uments, including changes thereto, that prescribe all activities affecting quality and provide for the mainte nance of sufficient records to furnish evidence of activi ties affecting quality. The latter requires test records to identify the inspector or data recorder, the type of ob servation, the results, the acceptability of the results, and the action taken in connection with any deficiencies noted.
This regulatory guide endorses ANSI/IEEE Std 829-1983, "IEEE Standard for Software Test Docu mentation," 3 with the exceptions stated in the Regula tory Position. This guide describes methods acceptable to the NRC staff for complying with parts of the NRC's regulations for achieving high functional reliability and design quality in software used in safety systems. 4 In particular, the methods are consistent with the pre viously cited General Design Criteria and the criteria for quality assurance programs of Appendix B as they apply to the documentation of software testing activi
4The term "safety systems" is synonymous with "safety-related systems."
The General Design Criteria cover systems, structures, and components
"important to safety." The scope of this regulatosy guide is, however, limited to "safety systems," which are a subset of "systems important to safety."
ties. The criteria of Appendices A and B apply to sys tems and related quality assurance processes, and if those systems include software, the requirements extend to the software elements.
In general, information provided by regulatory guides is reflected in the Standard Review Plan (NUREG-0800). The Office of Nuclear Reactor Regu lation uses the Standard Review Plan to review applica tions to construct and operate nuclear power plants.
This regulatory guide will apply to the revised Chapter
7 of the Standard Review Plan.
The information collections contained in this regu latory guide are covered by the requirements of 10 CFR
Part 50, which were approved by the Office of Manage ment and Budget, approval number 3150-0011. The NRC may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information un less it displays a currently valid OMB control number.
B. DISCUSSION
The use of industry consensus standards is part of an overall approach to meeting the requirements of
10 CFR Part 50 when developing safety systems for nuclear power plants. Compliance with standards does not guarantee that regulatory requirements will be met.
However, compliance does ensure that practices accepted within various technical communities will be incorporated into the development and quality assur ance processes used to design safety systems. These practices are based on past experience and represent in dustry consensus on approaches used for development of such systems.
Software incorporated into instrumentation and control systems covered by Appendix B will be referred to in this regulatory guide as safety system software.
For safety system software, software testing is an im portant part of the effort to achieve compliance with the NRC's requirements. Software engineering practices rely, in part, on software testing to meet general quality and reliability requirements consistent with Criteria 1 and 21 of Appendix A to 10 CFR Part 50, as well as Cri teria I, II, III, V, VI, XI, and XVII in Appendix B.
Current practice for the development of software for high-integrity applications includes the use of a software life cycle process that incorporates software testing activities. See IEEE Std 1074-1991, "IEEE
Standard for Developing Software Life Cycle Pro cesses." 3 Software testing is a key element in software verification and validation activities, as indicated by IEEE Std 1012-1986, "IEEE Standard for Software Verification and Validation Plans," 3 and IEEE Std 1.170-2
7-4.3.2-1993, "Standard Criteria for Digital Comput ers in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Generating Sta tions."3 The latter is endorsed by Revision 1 of Regula
,'
tory Guide 1.152, "Criteria for Digital Computers in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants." The consen sus standard, ANSI/IEEE Std 829-1983, "IEEE Stan dard for Software Test Documentation" (reaffirmed in
1991), defines software test documentation and speci fies its form and content. The term 'documentation' is used here in accordance with the first meaning given in IEEE Std 610.12-1990, "IEEE Standard Glossary of Software Engineering Terminology," which defines documentation as a collection of documents on a given subject. IEEE Std 829-1983 describes a method for software test documentation consistent with the pre viously cited regulatory requirements as they apply to safety system software.
The documentation identified in IEEE Std 829-1983 falls into three categories: test planning, test specification, and test reporting. All three categories provide for test information consistent with the require ments of Appendix B to 10 CFR Part 50, in particular, with the requirements of Criterion XI, "Test Control,"
as applied to software. The test planning category con sists of a test plan that addresses key aspects of the test program, such as scope, risks, tasks, resources, respon sibilities, and acceptance (pass or fail) criteria for the software item being tested. The test specification cate gory consists of test designs, test cases, and test proce dures that contain the detailed procedures and instruc tions for testing as well as the feature or test case acceptance criteria to be employed during the testing effort. This category is particularly relevant to Criterion V, "Instructions, Procedures, and Drawings." The test reporting category consists of transmittal reports, test incident reports, test logs, and test summary reports that provide for the recording and summarization of test events and that serve as the basis for evaluating test re sults. All information in this category is summarized in the test summary report. This category addresses the re quirements of parts of Criterion VI, "Document Con trol," Criterion XI, "Test Control," and Criterion XVII,
"Quality Assurance Records," as applied to software.
The documentation in the test reporting category con tains most of the specific information itemized in Crite rion XVII (although anomaly resolution typically will be handled through the change process of the software configuration management (SCM) function). IEEE Std 829-1983 also provides for the inclusion of additional material in any of its defined documentation; therefore, any special testing information associated with unique circumstances may also be included.
C. REGULATORY POSITION
The requirements contained in IEEE Std 829-1983, "IEEE Standard for Software Test Docu mentation," provide an approach acceptable to the NRC staff for meeting the requirements of 10 CFR
Part 50 as they apply to the test documentation of safety system software subject to the exceptions listed below.
The appendices to this standard are not covered by this regulatory guide. (In this Regulatory Position, the cited criteria are in Appendix B to 10 CFR Part 50 unless otherwise noted.)
To meet the requirements of 10 CFR 50.55a(h) and Appendix A to 10 CFR Part 50 as assured by complying with the criteria of Appendix B applied to the test docu mentation of safety system software, the following exceptions are necessary and will be considered by the NRC staff in the review of submittals from applicants and licensees.
1. TEST PROGRAM
Criterion XI, "Test Control," requires that a test program be established to ensure that all testing required to demonstrate that systems and components will perform satisfactorily in service is identified and performed in accordance with written test procedures that incorporate requirements and acceptance limits contained in applicable design documents. Criterion I,
"Organization," Criterion II, "Quality Assurance Pro gram," Criterion III, "Design Control," Criterion V,
"Instructions, Procedures, and Drawings," Criterion VI, "Document Control," and Criterion XVII, "Quality Assurance Records," contain requirements regarding information associated with testin
g. IEEE Std
829-1983 does not mandate the use of all of its software test documentation in any given test phase. It directs the user to specify the documents required for a particular test phase. If a subset of the IEEE Std 829-1983 docu mentation is chosen for a particular test phase, informa tion necessary to meet regulatory requirements regard ing software test documentation must not be omitted.
As a minimum, this information includes:
"
Qualifications, duties, responsibilities, and skills required of persons and organizations assigned to testing activities,
"
Environmental conditions and special controls, equipment, tools, and instrumentation needed for accomplishing the testing,
"
Test instructions and procedures incorporating the requirements and acceptance limits in applicable design documents,
1.170-3
"* Test prerequisites and the criteria for meeting them,
"* Test items and the approach taken by the testing program,
"* Test logs, test data, and test results,
"* Acceptance criteria, and
"* Test records indicating the identity of the tester, the type of observation, the results and acceptability, and the action taken in connection with any deficiencies.
Any of the above information items that are not present in the subset selected for a particular test phase must be incorporated into the appropriate documenta tion as an additional item.
2. SOFTWARE DOCUMENTATION
Criterion VI, "Document Control," and Criterion XVII, "Quality Assurance Records," as well as 10 CFR
21.51, "Maintenance and Inspection of Records," of
10 CFR Part 21, "Reporting of Defects and Noncom pliance," require the control and retention of docu ments and records affecting quality. Since design con trol measures must be applied to acceptance criteria for tests and since some software test documentation is re used and evolves during the course of software devel opment and software maintenance (for example, re gression test documentation), such test documentation should be controlled as one or more configuration items under a software configuration management system.
Test records, such as test reports, must be maintained as quality records and should be controlled by the soft ware configuration management system.
3. TEST DOCUMENTATION
IEEE Std 829-1983 describes software test docu mentation as a set of individual documents. It is accept able for the individual documents to be incorporated into larger test documents, provided the identity of each component document is retained.
4. SYSTEM TESTING
Criterion XI, "Test Control," requires that testing demonstrate that systems and components will perform satisfactorily in service. In section 4.2.2 of IEEE Std 829-1983, in describing the features to be tested by a given test design, it is noted that other features may be exercised but not identified. Each feature in safety sys tem software is to be formally tested under at least one test design.
5. TRACEABILITY
Criterion XI, "Test Control," requires that testing demonstrate that systems and components will perform satisfactorily in service. Traceability analyses, relating functions and test cases, provide a means for ensuring that all functions are tested. These analyses are ad dressed in planning for software verification and val idation.5 In section 5.2.2, IEEE Std 829-1983 suggests consideration of supplying references to item docu mentation as part of test case documentation. These ref erences must be included in the test case documentation unless equivalent traceability information is main tained elsewhere in the verification and validation records.
6. OTHER CODES AND STANDARDS
Standards endorsed by regulatory guides some times refer to other standards. These references to other standards should be treated individually. If a referenced standard has been incorporated separately into the NRC's regulations, licensees and applicants must com ply with that standard as set forth in the regulation. If the referenced standard has been endorsed in a regulatory guide, the standard constitutes a method ac ceptable to the NRC staff of meeting a regulatory re quirement as described in the regulatory guide. If a ref erenced standard has been neither incorporated into the NRC's regulations nor endorsed in a regulatory guide, licensees and applicants may consider and use the in formation in the referenced standard, if appropriately justified, consistent with current regulatory practice.
D. IMPLEMENTATION
The purpose of this section is to provide informa tion to applicants and licensees regarding the NRC
staff's plans for using this regulatory guide. No backfit ting is intended or approved in connection with this guide.
Except in those cases in which an applicant pro poses an acceptable alternative method for complying with the specified portions of the NRC's regulations, the methods described in this guide will be used in the evaluation of submittals in connection with applica tions for construction permits and operating licenses.
This guide will also be used to evaluate submittals from operating reactor licensees that propose system modifi cations voluntarily initiated by the licensee if there is a clear nexus between the proposed modifications and this guidance.
5SeC IEEE Std 1012-1986, "IEEE Standard for Software Verification and Validation Plans."
1.170-4 K
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Hecht, H., A.T. Tai, K.S. Tso, "Class 1E Digital Sys tems Studies," NUREG/CR-6113, USNRC, October
1993.1 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, "Stan dard Criteria for Digital Computers in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Generating Stations," IEEE Std
7-4.3.2, 1993.
Lawrence, J.D., "Software Reliability and Safety in Nuclear Reactor Protection Systems,"
NUREG/
CR-6101 (UCRL-ID-117524, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory), USNRC, November 1993.1 t Copies may be purchased at current rates from the U.S. Government Prin ting Office, P.O. Box 37082, Washington, DC 20402-9328 (telephone
(202)512-2249); or from the National Technical Information Service by writing NTIS at 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22161. Copies are available for inspection or copying for a fee from the NRC Public Docu ment Room at 2120 L Street NW., Washington, DC; the PDR's mailing ad dress is Mail Stop LL-6, Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone
(202)634-3273; fax (202)634-3343.
Lawrence, J.D., and G.G. Preckshot, "Design Factors for Safety-Critical Software," NUREG/CR-6294, USNRC, December 1994.1 Seth, S., et al., "High Integrity Software for Nuclear Power Plants: Candidate Guidelines, Technical Basis and Research Needs," NUREG/CR-6263, USNRC,
June 1995.1 USNRC, "Criteria for Digital Computers in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants," Regulatory Guide
1.152, Revision 1, January 1996.2 USNRC, "Standard Review Plan," NUREG-0800,
February 1984.
2Single copies of regulatory guides may be obtained free of charge by writ ing the Office of Administration, Printing, Graphics and Distribution Branch, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC
20555-0001; orby fax at (301)415-5272. Copies are available for in spection or copying for a fee from the NRC Public Document Room at
2120 L Street NW, Washington, DC; the PDR's mailing address is Mail Stop LL-6, Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone (202)634-3273;
fax (202)634-3343.
1.170-5
REGULATORY ANALYSIS
A separate regulatory analysis was not prepared for this regulatory guide. The regulatory analysis prepared for Draft Regulatory Guide DG-1056, "Software Test Documentation for Digital Computer Software Used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants," provides the regulatory basis for this guide. A copy of the regulatory analysis is available for inspection and copying for a fee at the NRC
Public Document Room, 2120 L Street NW., Washington, DC; the PDR's mailing address is Mail Stop LL-6, Washington, DC 20555-0001; phone (202)634-3273;
fax (202)634-3343.
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