Feasibility of using recycled CRT funnel glass as partial replacement of high density magnetite sand in radiation shielding concrete

Abstract

Abstract The recycled cathode ray tube (CRT) funnel glass was used as replacement of magnetite sand in the concrete, and its mass replacement rates were 0, 20%, 40% and 60%, respectively. The flowability, apparent density and mechanical properties of the radiation shielding concrete were investigated, while its γ-ray radiation shielding parameters such as linear and mass attenuation coefficients (μ and μm, respectively), thickness values of half-value layer (hHVL) and tenth-value layer (hTVL) were obtained by theoretical calculation, experiment and Monte−Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) simulation code. The experimental results show that the flowability of the concrete increases significantly, whilst its apparent density, compressive strength and static elastic modulus decrease slightly. The calculated, simulated and experimental μm, μ, hHVL and hTVL values of all concrete samples are very consistent at the same γ-ray photon energy, and it is feasible to use MCNP code to simulate γ-ray radiation shielding parameters of materials. The calculated results show that in a wide range of γ-ray photon energy, the μm value of the concrete with CRT funnel glass replacing magnetite sand is improved effectively, and its radiation shielding performances are the same as those of the control concrete (M−1). By comprehensively comparing the flowability, mechanical properties and γ-ray radiation shielding properties, the concrete samples with 20%−40% funnel glass as fine aggregate have good performances.