AW: [ RadSafe ] borated concrete

[Franz Schönhofer]

John,

I cannot give you the data you asked for, but probably I can give you an
idea of how to overcome your problem. 

As far as I understand you need a neutron shielding in your walls, but
probably also heavy concrete for gammas (it is not clear from your
question). Why don't you use concrete for the gammas (if necessary) and then
add a layer of well known borated compounds which would shield from
neutrons? Borated plastics seem to me to be state of the art. I doubt that
you could incorporate enough boron (maybe borax) into concrete, compared
with boron loaded plastics.  

This would be a similar approach like the one used for many low-level
gamma-spectrometric laboratories: Heavy concrete shielding, including barium
minerals and additionally a lead layer.

Good luck!

Franz

Franz Schoenhofer
PhD, MR iR
Habicherg. 31/7
A-1160 Vienna
AUSTRIA
phone -43-0699-1168-1319


> -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
> Von: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl] Im
> Auftrag von John_Rich at fpl.com
> Gesendet: Mittwoch, 08. Februar 2006 20:21
> An: radsafe at radlab.nl
> Betreff: [ RadSafe ] borated concrete
> 
> 
> Radsafers,
> 
> We would like to use borated concrete in load bearing walls.  We have
> considered adding a boron compound such as borax to the concrete when it
> is
> being mixed.  Can anyone point me to references that discuss the concrete
> properties when borax is mixed in?  Can anyone point me to experience with
> other boron compounds that have been added to the concrete.
> 
> We can do the neutron shielding calculations so we'll have a good idea how
> much boron is needed, but we don't have information on the physical
> properties of concrete with the additives.
> 
> thanx in advance  - - john
> 
> 
> John Rich
> Sargent & Lundy Engineers
> (561) 691-2902
> 
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