Investigating the influence of gamma ray energies and steel fiber on attenuation properties of reactive powder concrete

Abstract

The effect of gamma ray energies and volume ratio of micro steel fiber (1 and 1.5%) on attenuation properties of reactive powder concrete (70 MPa compressive strength) was investigated. Different characteristics have been considered such as linear attenuation coefficient, mass attenuation coefficient, and half-value thickness. Sodium iodide crystal with a gamma ray spectrometer and collimated beam of gamma ray has been implemented to perform the experimental test. Three sources (Cs-137, Co-60, and Bi-207) with energies of (0.662, 1.17 1.33, 0.569, and 1.063) MeV were adopted in the test. The results obtained indicated that mass attenuation coefficient is proportioned inversely with gamma ray energies and directly with a volume ratio of micro steel fiber. The linear attenuation coefficient and half-value thickness of the tested samples have been calculated and discussed. The obtained results showed that increasing the volume ratio of steel fiber has modified the adequacy of the reactive powder concrete as a shielding element since it increases the density and reduces the half-value thickness.