• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.130-141
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• 2020

Background: Concrete activation in cyclotron vaults is a major concern associated with their decommissioning because a considerable amount of activated concrete is generated by secondary neutrons during the operation of cyclotrons. Reducing the amount of activated concrete is important because of the high cost associated with radioactive waste management. This study aims to investigate the capability of the neutron absorbing materials to reduce concrete activation. Materials and Methods: The Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code System (PHITS) code was used to simulate a cyclotron target and room. The dimensions of the room were 457 cm (length), 470 cm (width), and 320 cm (height). Gd₂O₃, B₄C, polyethylene (PE), and borated (5 wt% ^natB) PE with thicknesses of 5, 10, and 15 cm and their different combinations were selected as neutron absorbing materials. They were placed on the concrete walls to determine their effects on thermal neutrons. Thin B₄C and Gd₂O₃ were placed between the concrete wall and additional PE shield separately to decrease the required thickness of the additional shield, and the thermal neutron flux at certain depths inside the concrete was calculated for each condition. Subsequently, the optimum combination was determined with respect to radioactive waste reduction, price, and availability, and the total reduced radioactive concrete waste was estimated. Results and Discussion: In the specific conditions considered in this study, the front wall with respect to the proton beam contained radioactive waste with a depth of up to 64 cm without any additional shield. A single layer of additional shield was inefficient because a thick shield was required. Two-layer combinations comprising 0.1- or 0.4-cm-thick B₄C or Gd₂O₃ behind 10 cm-thick PE were studied to verify whether the appropriate thickness of the additional shield could be maintained. The number of transmitted thermal neutrons reduced to 30% in case of 0.1 cm-thick Gd₂O₃+10 cm-thick PE or 0.1 cm-thick B₄C+10 cm-thick PE. Thus, the thickness of the radioactive waste in the front wall was reduced from 64 to 48 cm. Conclusion: Based on price and availability, the combination of the 10 cm-thick PE+0.1 cmthick B₄C was reasonable and could effectively reduce the number of thermal neutrons. The amount of radioactive concrete waste was reduced by factor of two when considering whole concrete walls of the PET cyclotron vault.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2021.05a
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• pp.78-79
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• 2021

It is necessary to calculate Apparent Activation Energy(Ea) in order to apply the equivalent age formula to predict compressive strength using the maturity method. For carbon reduction, it is necessary to consider the change of Ea by condition of GGBFS concrete, which is widely used today. In this study, as a basic study for the design of the compressive strength model of GGBFS concrete, the apparent activation energy of the GGBFS mixed paste was calculated through a calorimeter. The experiment was carried out at a hydration temperature of 10 to 30℃ with a paste test specimen having a GGBFS content of 0 to 80%. As a result, the GGBFS replacement rate of the paste increased, and Ea tended to increase as the temperature decreased.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.141-145
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• 2017

Background: The concrete walls inside the vaults of cyclotron facilities are activated by neutrons emitted by the targets during radioisotope production. Reducing the amount of radioactive waste created in such facilities is very important in case they are decommissioned. Thus, we proposed a strategy of reducing the neutron activation of the concrete walls in cyclotrons during operation. Materials and Methods: A polyethylene plate and B-doped Al sheet (30 wt% of B and 2.5 mm in thickness) were placed in front of the wall in the cyclotron room of a radioisotope production facility for pharmaceutical use. The target was Xe gas, and a Cu block was utilized for proton dumping. The irradiation time, proton energy, and beam current were 8 hours, 30 MeV, and $125{\mu}A$, respectively. To determine a suitable thickness for the polyethylene plate set in front of the B-doped Al sheet, the neutron-reducing effects achieved by inserting such sheets at several depths within polyethylene plate stacks were evaluated. The neutron fluence was monitored using an activation detector and 20-g on de Au foil samples with and without 0.5-mm-thick Cd foil. Each Au foil sample was pasted onto the center of a polyethylene plate and B-doped Al sheet, and the absolute activity of one Au foil sample was measured as a standard using a Ge detector. The resulting relative activities were obtained by calculating the ratio of the photostimulated luminescence of each foil sample to that of the standard Au foil. Results and Discussion: When the combination of a 4-cm-thick polyethylene plate and B-doped Al sheet was employed, the thermal neutron rate was reduced by 78%. Conclusion: The combination of a 4-cm-thick polyethylene plate and B-doped Al sheet effectively reduced the neutron activation of the investigated concrete wall.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.27-32
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• 2002

In this research influences of type and concentration of alkali activator and curing condition on the hydration, and properties of alkali activated blast furnace slag(AAS) concrete were investigated. Sodium carbonate and sulfate were used as alkali activators and their concentration were 4~10 weight percent with Na$_2$O equivalent to binder. The curing conditions were standard curing using 23$^{\circ}C$ water and activated curing chamber at $65^{\circ}C$. Results show that in case of sodium carbonate addition high early strengths were gained by activation of early hydration, but later strength gained was slight. On the other side sodium sulfate strengths were continuously increased with adding amount and ages. Steam curing activated early hydration so that early strengths were improved but later strengths were similar to standard curing. The strength reduction of AAS mortar with sodium sulfate was less than OPC mortar in 5% sulfuric acid solution so that AAS concrete can be useful for acid-resistance concrete.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.93-105
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• 2018

In Korea, a huge amount of radioactive concrete waste will be generated through decommissioning of nuclear facilities in the near future; therefore, optimum technology for the treatment of concrete waste should be reviewed thoroughly and the future direction of technology development should be discussed. In this paper, many domestic and foreign examples of generation of radioactive concrete waste were pieced together and the characteristics of radioactive concrete waste were examined. Moreover, we reviewed trends in technology development by analyzing the examples of various studies and practical applications of treatment technologies, such as mechanical decontamination, chemical decontamination, volume reduction, recycling and solidification, and also tried to understand the limitations of existing technologies and determine a direction for technical improvement.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.103-110
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• 2018

The long-term flexural behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) beams strengthened with an iron based-shape memory alloys (Fe-SMAs) by a near-surface mounted (NSM) method was evaluated. The pre-strained values of 2% and 4% and introduced prestressing force by an activation of a shape memory effect of the Fe-SMA strengthening material were considered as experimental variables. Deflections at the center of the RC beams were measured for six months after the 1 tonf concrete weight was loaded on the beam. Experimental results show that the deflections decreased because of the increased flexural stiffness of beams strengthened with the Fe-SMA strips. On the contrary, with increased pre-strained values, the deflection increased due to stiffness reduction of the strengthening material. It was confirmed that the specimens incorporating the prestressed force showed the deflection reduction of about 30%, compared to the ones without the prestressed force.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.261-269
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• 2013

In this study, it was developed eco-friendly inorganic binding material concrete using ground granulated blast furnace slag and alkali activator (water glass, sodium hydroxides). Eight reinforced concrete beam using inoganic binding material concrete were constructed and tested under monotonic loading. The major variables were mixture ratio of alkali activator, type of admixture and admixture. Experimental programs were carried out to improve and evaluate the flexural performance of such test specimens, such as the load-displacement, the failure mode, the maximum load carrying capacity, and ductility capacity. All the specimens were modeled in scale-down size. The eco-friendly concrete using inorganic binding material encouraged alkali activation reaction was rapidly hardening speed and showed possibility as a high strength concrete. Also, the RC beams using new materials showed similar behavior and failed similarly with RC beam used portland cement. It is thought that eco-friendly inorganic binding material concrete can be used with construction material and product as a basic research to replace cement concrete. If there is application to structures in PC member as well as production of 2nd concrete product, it could be improved the productivity and reduction of construction duration etc.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.18 no.2 s.92
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• pp.267-274
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• 2006

Greenhouse gas reduction will be highlighted as the most pending question in the cement industry in future because the production of Portland cement not only consumes limestone, clay, coal, and electricity, but also release waste gases such as $CO_2,\;SO_3$, and NOX, which can contribute to the greenhouse effect and acid rain. To meet the increase of cement demand and simultaneously comply with the Kyoto Protocol, cement that gives less $CO_2$ discharge should be urgently developed. This study aims to manufacture non-sintering cement(NSC) by adding phosphogypsum(PG) and waste lime(WL) to granulated blast furnace slag(GBFS) as sulfate and alkali activators. This study also Investigates the hydration reaction of NSC through analysis of scanning electron microscopy(SEM), X-ray diffraction(XRD), differential thermal analysis(DTA), and pH. Results obtained from analysis of the hydrate have shown that the glassy films of GBFS are destroyed by the activation of alkali and sulfate, ions eluted from the inside of GBFS react with PG and produce ettringite, and consequently the remaining component in GBFS slowly produced C-5-H(I) gel. Here, PG is considered not only to play the role of simple activator, but also to work as a binder reacting with GBFS.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.299-308
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• 2016

This paper presents an investigation of the mechanical and microstructural properties on hardened samples that were synthesized using blended binder(fly ash(FA) and blast furnace slag cement(BFSC)), alkali activator and sea water or distilled water. Binders were prepared by mixing the FA and BFSC in different blend weight ratios of 6:4, 7:3 and 8:2. Sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate were used 5 wt% of binder, respectively, as an alkaline activator. The compressive strength and absorption were measured at the age of 3, 7 and 28 days, and the XRD, TGA and MIP tests were performed at the age of 28 days. An increase in the content of BFSC leads to an increase in the quantities of ettringite and C-S-H formed, regardless of the type of mixing water. And it also shows higher strength due to the reduction of pores larger than ~50 nm. All hardened samples in this study have common hydration products of C-S-H, $Ca(OH)_2$ and calcite. Hydrocalumite of all reaction products formed was only present in hardened sample mixed with sea water. For each FA/BFSC mixing ratio, the compressive strength of hardened sample mixed with sea water was similar to that mixed with distilled water. It is proposed that the slight increase of strength of samples mixed with sea water is mainly due to the presence of hydrocalumite phase containing chlorine ion, contributing to the change of total porosity and pore size distribution in samples.