Review of the Current State of Knowledge on the Effects of Radiation on Concrete

Abstract

A review of the current state of knowledge on the effects of radiation on concrete in nuclear power production applications is presented. Emphasis is placed on the effects of radiation damage, as reflected by changes in engineering properties of concrete, in the evaluation of the long-term operation and for plant life or aging management of nuclear power plants (NPPs) in Japan, Spain, and the United States. National issues and concerns are described for Japan and the United States followed by a discussion of the fundamental understanding of the effects of radiation on concrete. Specifically, the effects of temperature, moisture content, and irradiation on ordinary Portland cement paste and the role of temperature and neutron energy spectra on radiation-induced volumetric expansion (RIVE) of aggregate-forming minerals are described. This is followed by a discussion of the bounding conditions for extended operation; the significance of accelerated irradiation conditions; the role of temperature and creep; and how these issues are being incorporated into numerical and meso-scale models. From these insights on radiation damage, analyses of these effects on concrete structures are reviewed, and the current status of work in Japan and the United States is described. Also discussed is the recent formation of a new international scientific and technical organization, the International Committee on Irradiated Concrete, to provide a forum for timely information exchanges among organizations pursuing the identification, quantification, and modeling of the effects of radiation on concrete in commercial nuclear applications. The paper concludes with a discussion of research gaps, including (1) interpreting test-reactor data, (2) evaluating service-irradiated concrete for aging management and to inform radiation damage models with the Zorita NPP (Spain) serving as the first comprehensive test case, (3) irradiated-assisted alkali-silica reactions, and (4) RIVE under constrained conditions.

Numerical analysis of VVER-440/213 concrete biological shield under normal operation

“…The obtained neutron fluence value is in accordance with the limit value for the fast neutrons proposed by United States Nuclear Regulatory Committee, (US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 2016), and the new reference value proposed in Japan for the fast neutron fluence, (Maruyama et al, 2017), which is equal to 1•10 19 n/cm 2 . Here it should be noted that the biological shield of some PWR reactors which are used in the USA and Japan is not only a shielding structure but also a load-bearing structure, (Rosseel et al, 2016). Therefore, its damage or displacement may result in serious consequences.…”

Change in Relative Density of Natural Rock Minerals Due to Electron Irradiation

“…While deteriorations of concrete structures have been extensively researched in civil engineering field, there still remains the characteristic deterioration environment, i.e., irradiation, fully unexploited in NPPs (Rosseel et al 2016). Biological shielding concrete walls (in case of a pressurized water reactor; PWR) or reactor vessel support pedestals (in case of a boiling water reactor; BWR) are irradiated by neutrons and gamma rays from the reactor during operation.…”

Rock-Forming Minerals Radiation-Induced Volumetric Expansion – Revisiting Literature Data

“…For nuclear applications, the study of irradiation effects on minerals and ceramics is motivated by two issues: (1) finding sustainable encapsulation matrix for radiological waste forms and Pu surplus, and, (2) assessing the long-term operation and the structural significance of exposing the concrete of nuclear power plant to high levels of neutron and gamma radiation, e.g., (Dubrovskii et al 1967;Kontani et al 2010;Rosseel et al 2016).…”