Development of high-temperature heavy density dolerite concrete for 4th generation nuclear power plants

Abstract

This study examines the physical, mechanical, microstructural, and attenuation properties of high-density concrete exposed to temperatures ranging from 200°C to 1200°C. For this purpose, heavy-density concrete containing 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% dolerite aggregates was developed and compared with three ordinary concrete mixes. Pre- and post-heated concrete specimens were evaluated for mass and density loss, compressive strength, rebound hammer, X-ray and gamma-ray attenuation, Half Value Layer (HVL), and Ten Value Layer (TVL) along with microstructural properties determined by scanning electron microscopy and Energy Dispersive X-ray. The results showed that the incorporation of 75% dolerite aggregate during pre- and post-heating yielded high compressive strength whereas low mass and density loss. The same mixture showed significant improvement in gamma ray shielding at all temperatures. The Half Value Layer and Ten Value Layer values showed a reduction in the thickness of concrete as a shield. It is recommended that dolerite heavy-density concrete is a potential radiation shield at high temperatures ranging from 200°C–1200°C in fourth-generation nuclear power plants.

Cements and concretes materials characterisation using machine‐learning‐based reconstruction and 3D quantitative mineralogy via X‐ray microscopy

“…Of the latter, the drive is to produce cements that aid in potential nuclear waste containment (i.e., do not contain pathways for leakage), and concretes that attenuate gamma radiation and can cope with elevated temperatures (i.e., when used in nuclear reactors). 6,7 Therefore, enhanced characterisation of these materials from advanced imaging and reconstruction are vital for their characterisation (Table 1). The samples studied here were cores of variable thickness ranging from 5 to 30 mm diameter.…”

Molecular insights into structural and dynamic properties of water molecules in calcium silicate hydrate nanopores: The roles of pore size and temperature

“…In practical engineering, cement-based materials are inevitably exposed to environments with extremely harsh temperatures, posing severe challenges to their durability and mechanical performance. For instance, the lowest temperatures in Russia can be below 200 K (Stepanova, 1963), while the temperature in nuclear power plants may be as high as 400 K (Khan et al, 2023), and even higher in fires (Wróblewska and Kowalski, 2020). In these extreme conditions, the performance of cement-based materials deteriorates to varying degrees.…”