Mix design effective parameters on γ-ray attenuation coefficient and strength of normal and heavyweight concrete

Structures in which γ-ray production instruments are located are made of heavyweight concrete. To determine roof and wall thickness of such structures, it is necessary to measure amount of radiation absorbed. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of mix design parameters such as water to cementations materials ratio, type of aggregates and cement and pozzolanic material contents on γ-ray absorption. This paper determines attenuation coefficient of normal and heavyweight concrete. Absorption of γ-ray was both measured by experimental tests and XCOM software. Results also showed that using barite aggregates increases attenuation coefficient by 30%. Comparison of the compressive strength of normal concrete made of limestone aggregates with that of heavyweight concrete made of barite aggregates showed very close compressive strengths in both types of concrete at high W/CM values. For low W/CM values, however, compressive strength of normal concrete was higher than that of heavyweight.

► We computed γ-ray attenuation coefficients of concrete by XCOM software and experiment.
► Very good agreements were observed between the experiments and XCOM results.
► We present useful equation to relate between density and γ-ray attenuation coefficient.
► At high W/CM, compressive strength of heavy and normal weight concrete are the same.