Irradiation impact in concrete: Gamma effects on cement paste constituents (calcium silicate hydrates) and neutron effects on minerals present in aggregates

Light Water Reactor Sustainability: Program Materials Research Pathway (FY22 Technical Program Plan)

“…Building on work initiated in FY 2020 [48] to better understand irradiation effects by evaluating seven characterization techniques employed to study pristine and neutron irradiated aggregates to obtain information on chemical phase distribution (micro x-ray fluorescence and energy-dispersive spectroscopy mapping), grain size (petrography), crack formation (scanning electron microscopy and x-ray computerized tomography), density (pycnometry), porosity distribution using Small Angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and Ultra-samll Angle X-ray Scattering (USAXS), and Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio (resonance ultrasound spectroscopy), in FY 2022 research focused on the characterization of JCAMP neutron irradiated aggregates to 4 different fluences to understand the effects of irradiation on the physical properties of the aggregates including void formation, cracks localization with respect to mineral grains, density, and mechanical response [49]. The aggregates comprise six different rocks of varied mineralogical origin: one altered tuff (sample F), four felsic sandstones (samples E, G, H, and J), and one limestone (sample K).…”