Assessment of radiation shielding properties for some concrete mixtures against photon and neutron radiations
Brahim El Azzaoui, Ouadie Kabach, Younes EL Abbari, Mohamed Youssef Messous, Khalid Nabaoui, Rabie Outayad, Yassine EL Lkhadiri, El Mahjoub Chakir, El Mehdi Alibrahmi
Abstract
This study evaluates fifteen concrete formulations, including standard and hybrid types such as Barite, Iron-Limonite, and Luminite-Colemanite-Barite, to determine their effectiveness in shielding against photon rays and neutrons. Using computational tools like MCNP, Phy-X, and XCOM, key shielding parameters were analyzed, including the Mass Attenuation Coefficient, Half-Value Layer, Mean Free Path, Fast Neutron Removal Cross Section, and Neutron Transmittance. In photon shielding, Iron-Portland concrete demonstrated superior performance, achieving the lowest Half-Value Layer (HVL) of 2.244 cm at 1.33 MeV, which is 42% better than Ordinary concrete and 57% better than Barite concrete. Iron-Limonite also showed strong photon attenuation with a Mean Free Path (MFP) of 3.23 cm at 1.33 MeV. For neutron shielding, Iron-Limonite and Ferro-phosphorus concrete recorded the highest Fast Neutron Removal Cross Section (FNRCS) values, reaching up to 0.146 cm⁻ 1 , indicating their strong capability to attenuate fast neutrons. Additionally, hybrid concretes like Luminite-Colemanite-Barite provided balanced protection against both photon and neutron radiation. This study highlights the effectiveness of high-density concretes in radiation shielding and underscores the alignment between deterministic and stochastic computational tools used, reinforcing their applicability in enhancing radiation safety. • The study assessed fifteen concrete formulations for shielding effectiveness against photons and neutrons. • Iron-Portland concrete had the best photon attenuation with an HVL of 2.244 cm at 1.33 MeV. • Iron-Limonite and Ferro-phosphorus concrete excelled in neutron attenuation with the highest FNRCS values. • Consistency between MCNP, Phy-X, and XCOM tools validated the accuracy of the shielding evaluations.