Characterization and radioactive evaluation of the concrete from a radiotherapy bunker

Abstract

The construction of concrete structures for radiological protection in sanitary facilities requires a series of constructive conditions that guarantee safety. The influence of the correct bunkers design, wall thicknesses and the type of materials used is essential to ensure effective protection. The use of barite aggregate concrete is a common resource to improve the radiation attenuation capacity of concrete walls. The present study analyses the structure of a bunker during a renovation work, studying the construction characteristics of the chamber, the state of its elements, the characterization of materials, the identification of the emissions of the possible isotopes present, beta radioactive contamination and the measurement of equivalent dose rates at different points in the concrete. The results made it possible to determine the use of conventional concrete and barite concrete, the latter presenting a BaO content of around 40% and particularly low resistance values, not observing alteration processes in the materials. © 2022 The Authors. Structural Concrete published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Federation for Structural Concrete.