Optimization and evaluation of structural and shielding concrete for IFMIF-DONES

Abstract

The aim of this study was to optimize and evaluate structural and shielding concrete for the IFMIF-DONES building. An ordinary concrete of lime-dolomite aggregate from local sources has been chosen for structural concrete and magnetite aggregate was chosen for heavy-weight radiation shielding. The reference for concrete materials design was the one used in the ITER project. After investigations of raw materials, a group of prebatches were prepared and technical properties – density of compressive strength, were measured. Finally, two compositions have been elaborated – one for structural concrete of density 2.5 g/cm3 and the second for radiation shielding concrete of density 3.9 g/cm3. Then a set of 50 × 50 × 5 cm3 slabs were prepared and sent to the Nuclear Physics Institute of the CAS in the Czech Republic for shielding mock-up experiments. Also the other technical properties like E-modulus, bending strength etc. have been determined. Additionally, radiation shielding efficiency has been calculated based on atomic composition.

Keywords

• IFMIF-DONES
• Radiation
• Shielding
• Heavy concrete
• Ordinary concrete
• Neutron