Effects of Gamma-Ray Irradiation on Hardened Cement Mortar
Open Access
- 3 March 2021
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
- Vol. 15 (1), 1-14
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s40069-020-00452-7
Abstract
The effect of gamma-ray irradiation on cement mortar properties is investigated in this study in order to understand the mechanism behind the strength and stiffness reduction, which may be significant according to the available researches. 60Co irradiation facility with the generating dose rate of 0.1–10 Gy/s and the total activity of 4.4·1015 Bq (120 kCi) was used to perform the irradiation, so that the total observed dose of the irradiated samples reached the values ranging from 12.0 to 15.0 MGy. An identical set of control samples was placed in the same laboratory conditions away from gamma radiation. The results of nanoindentation, X-ray diffraction analysis and mercury intrusion porosimetry of the irradiated and the control samples are shown and explained in detail in this study. The nanoindentation creep compliance and the nanoindentation elastic modulus of the irradiated and the control samples do not show any significant difference. The mineral composition obtained using the X-ray diffraction analysis of the irradiated and the control samples is also similar. The pore structure rearrangement and microcrack occurrence, which were evidenced by the mercury intrusion porosimetry and scanning electron microscopy, led to the porosity increase and may be attributed to the significant decrease of compressive strength.Keywords
Funding Information
- Ministerstvo Školství, Mládeže a Tělovýchovy (8F17002)
- Technologická Agentura České Republiky (TJ04000186)
- Narodowe Centrum Badań i Rozwoju (V4-Korea/2/2018)
- České Vysoké Učení Technické v Praze (SGS20/043/OHK1/1T/11)
- Horizon 2020 Framework Programme (900012 - ACES (WP5))
This publication has 22 references indexed in Scilit:
- Hydrogen Production and the Stability of Hardened Cement Paste under Gamma IrradiationJournal of Advanced Concrete Technology, 2019
- The role of relative humidity and cement type on carbonation resistance of concreteAlexandria Engineering Journal, 2019
- Numerical analysis of VVER-440/213 concrete biological shield under normal operationNuclear Engineering and Design, 2019
- Effects of Environmental Factors on Concrete Carbonation Depth and Compressive StrengthMaterials, 2018
- Coupling statistical indentation and microscopy to evaluate micromechanical properties of materials: Application to viscoelastic behavior of irradiated mortarsCement and Concrete Composites, 2018
- Impact of gamma-ray irradiation on hardened white Portland cement pastes exposed to atmosphereCement and Concrete Research, 2018
- Creep and Hygrothermal Effects in Concrete StructuresPublished by Springer Science and Business Media LLC ,2018
- Development of Soundness Assessment Procedure for Concrete Members Affected by Neutron and Gamma-Ray IrradiationJournal of Advanced Concrete Technology, 2017
- Time-dependent mechanical characteristics measured through the use of a microindentation techniqueMechanics of Time-Dependent Materials, 2010
- Effect of Gamma Irradiation on Cement Composites Observed with XRD and SEM Methods in the Range of Radiation Dose 0-1409 MGyActa Physica Polonica A, 2008