NSUF 21-4351: Effect of neutron radiation on density and mechanical properties of concrete aggregates
The radiation induced volumetric expansion of minerals present in aggregates is the main damage found in irradiated concrete. Different minerals expand at different rates and amplitudes according to silica content, number of ionic vs. covalent bonds, and structural percolation of the silicate tetrahedrons; making silicates more susceptible to irradiation than carbonates. The coexistence of varied rock-forming minerals will result in mismatch strains, causing internal stress development and possibly irradiation-induced cracking. A compilation of data on irradiated rocks and concrete dating from the 1960-80’s provides limited or no linkage to the role of mineral microstructure assemblage. The effects of neutron radiation on density, volumetric changes, and mechanical properties of varied rocks are critical to predict irradiation damage on concrete and develop simulation tools. We propose to measure the density and elastic properties of 6 types of neutron irradiated rocks (to two different neutron doses) and compare them to their respective pristine counterparts. The methods we will use are He pycnometry and resonant ultrasound spectroscopy. For the first time, a linkage between the effects of irradiation and the mineralogy of the aggregates will be considered. The mineralogy of these samples is already well characterized. These rocks were chosen strategically to contain different amounts of quartz (that can swell up to 18%), other silicates, and carbonates. The collected data will complement other reported literature on the same set of samples. The irradiated samples sustained doses representative of those expected in LWR’s reactors after 80 years of operation and are thus relevant to support the ongoing license renewal of this type of reactors in the US. Density can serve to interpret other reported results such as volumetric expansion. Both volumetric expansion and loss of modulus are simulated using an in-house software called MOSAIC that evaluates the properties of individual minerals. Therefore, the loss of modulus can serve to validate this tool. We require a total of 14 days of instrument time, that will be spread into different sessions of 4, 4, 4 and 2 days between June and August.
Additional Info
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Awarded Institution | Nagoya University |
| Embargo End Date | 2026-02-27 |
| Facility Tech Lead | Alina Montrose, Kory Linton |
| NSUF Call | FY 2021 RTE 1st Call |
| PI | Ippei Maruyama |
| PIE Facilities | Low Activation Materials Design and Analysis Laboratory |
| Project Member | Ms. Elena Tajuelo Rodriguez, R&D Staff Member - Oak Ridge National Laboratory (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2152-0067) |
| Project Member | Yann Le Pape - Oak Ridge National Laboratory |
| Project Member | Professor Ippei Maruyama, Professor - Nagoya University (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7521-3586) |
| Project Member | Dr. Yujie Li - Oak Ridge National Laboratory (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3804-9593) |
| Project Notes | Awarded on 06/07/2021 |
| Project Type | RTE |
| Publication | What does irradiation do to concrete? Insights on effects at the paste and aggregate levels Elena Tajuelo Rodriguez EMI 2022-05-31 - 2022-06-03 |
| Publication | Irradiation impact in concrete: Gamma effects on cement paste constituents (calcium silicate hydrates) and neutron effects on minerals present in aggregates Elena Tajuelo Rodriguez Goldschmidt 2022-07-10 - 2022-07-16 |
| Publication | Assessment of Neutron-Irradiation Damage in Aggregates Elena Tajuelo Rodriguez 20th International Conference on Environmental Degradation of Materials in Nuclear Power Systems – Water Reactors, 2022-07-17 - 2022-07-21 |
| RTE Number | 4351 |