Radiation effects in concrete for nuclear power plants - Part I: Quantification of radiation exposure and radiation effects

K. G. Field; I. Remec; Y. Le Pape

doi:10.1016/j.nucengdes.2014.10.003

Radiation effects in concrete for nuclear power plants - Part I: Quantification of radiation exposure and radiation effects

K. G. Field, I. Remec, Y. Le Pape

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163 Scopus citations

Abstract

A large fraction of light water reactor (LWR) construction utilizes concrete, including safety-related structures such as the biological shielding and containment building. Concrete is an inherently complex material, with the properties of concrete structures changing over their lifetime due to the intrinsic nature of concrete and influences from local environment. As concrete structures within LWRs age, the total neutron fluence exposure of the components, in particular the biological shield, can increase to levels where deleterious effects are introduced as a result of neutron irradiation. This work summarizes the current state of the art on irradiated concrete, including a review of the current literature and estimates the total neutron fluence expected in biological shields in typical LWR configurations. It was found a first-order mechanism for loss of mechanical properties of irradiated concrete is due to radiation-induced swelling of aggregates, which leads to volumetric expansion of the concrete. This phenomena is estimated to occur near the end of life of biological shield components in LWRs based on calculations of estimated peak neutron fluence in the shield after 80 years of operation.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	126-143
Number of pages	18
Journal	Nuclear Engineering and Design
Volume	282
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2014.10.003
State	Published - Feb 2015

Funding

The authors would like to thank Dr. D. Naus, Dr. T.M. Rosseel and Dr. J.T. Busby for their thoughtful discussions on the presented topics. This research is sponsored by the Department of Energy Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program . This manuscript has been authored by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, managed by UT-Battelle LLC under Contract No. DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the U.S. Department of Energy. The publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the U.S. Government retains a nonexclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for U.S. Government purposes.

Funders	Funder number
Department of Energy Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program
U.S. Department of Energy
UT-Battelle	DE-AC05-00OR22725

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10.1016/j.nucengdes.2014.10.003

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title = "Radiation effects in concrete for nuclear power plants - Part I: Quantification of radiation exposure and radiation effects",

abstract = "A large fraction of light water reactor (LWR) construction utilizes concrete, including safety-related structures such as the biological shielding and containment building. Concrete is an inherently complex material, with the properties of concrete structures changing over their lifetime due to the intrinsic nature of concrete and influences from local environment. As concrete structures within LWRs age, the total neutron fluence exposure of the components, in particular the biological shield, can increase to levels where deleterious effects are introduced as a result of neutron irradiation. This work summarizes the current state of the art on irradiated concrete, including a review of the current literature and estimates the total neutron fluence expected in biological shields in typical LWR configurations. It was found a first-order mechanism for loss of mechanical properties of irradiated concrete is due to radiation-induced swelling of aggregates, which leads to volumetric expansion of the concrete. This phenomena is estimated to occur near the end of life of biological shield components in LWRs based on calculations of estimated peak neutron fluence in the shield after 80 years of operation.",

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T2 - Quantification of radiation exposure and radiation effects

AU - Field, K. G.

AU - Remec, I.

AU - Pape, Y. Le

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AB - A large fraction of light water reactor (LWR) construction utilizes concrete, including safety-related structures such as the biological shielding and containment building. Concrete is an inherently complex material, with the properties of concrete structures changing over their lifetime due to the intrinsic nature of concrete and influences from local environment. As concrete structures within LWRs age, the total neutron fluence exposure of the components, in particular the biological shield, can increase to levels where deleterious effects are introduced as a result of neutron irradiation. This work summarizes the current state of the art on irradiated concrete, including a review of the current literature and estimates the total neutron fluence expected in biological shields in typical LWR configurations. It was found a first-order mechanism for loss of mechanical properties of irradiated concrete is due to radiation-induced swelling of aggregates, which leads to volumetric expansion of the concrete. This phenomena is estimated to occur near the end of life of biological shield components in LWRs based on calculations of estimated peak neutron fluence in the shield after 80 years of operation.

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Radiation effects in concrete for nuclear power plants - Part I: Quantification of radiation exposure and radiation effects

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