Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Special Concretes for Protection in Reactors; LES BETONS SPECIAUX DANS LA PROTECTION DES PILES

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:4151834
A review is presented of the main concretes used for the protection of reactors. First are examined the general factors affecting the selection of concretes for protection; some of the general aspects of radiation attenuation (fast and thermal neutrons, gamma ) are then recalled. After an enumeration of the qualities and defects of conventional concretes, desirable or possible improvements are proposed: introduction of heavy elements for increasing the efficiency with respect to fast neutrons and gamma ; increase in the hydrogen content (as H/sub 2/O), addition of absorbant products (B, Li, rare earths) for thermal neutron capture. A list is given of the principal products used for this purpose. Finally there is a rapid review of the preparation, the stability with time, and the resistance to radiation and to heat. Appendices and tables give details and numerical values. The appendices deal with the question of water in concretes and give a classification of concretes based mainiy on their density. At the end, ten tables give the compositions and values of the physical and mechanical characteristics of sixteen particularly typical concretes. (auth)
Research Organization:
France. Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique. Centre d'Etudes Nucleaires, Fontenay-aux-Roses
NSA Number:
NSA-18-001187
OSTI ID:
4151834
Report Number(s):
CEA-2312
Country of Publication:
France
Language:
English