Nuclear
Concrete and steel reinforcing that are subjected to irradiation from medical equipment such as Proton Therapy Units that emit a significant amount of irradiation (harmless for patients in regulated doses) the building materials that surround and house such equipment are subject to high levels of radiation throughout the life of the building. (Steel reinforcing)
Modification for such buildings during their useful life, equipment upgrades changes to equipment, and room layout changes are problematic given the presence of irradiated steel contained in the floors and walls.
End of life consideration for nuclear facilities where materials will have radiated over the life of the project the disposal of irradiated building materials will require careful handling and disposal of the irradiated materials (steel reinforcing)
This fact is well recognised and documented i.e. there will be irradiated building materials, both during the operational life and end of life, as stated in this article:
Design of the shielding wall of a cyclotron room and the activation interpretation using the Monte Carlo simulation
D.G. Janga, J.M. Kimb and J.H. Kimc Published 16 January 2017 • © 2017 IOP Publishing Ltd and Sissa Medialab srl
Journal of Instrumentation, Volume 12, January 2017
[extract] “according to the absorbed dose rate of the shielding wall thickness of cyclotron, and the concrete, gives an external exposure level of 1 μSv/hr after 19 years of cyclotron operation as it is activated by the nuclear reaction of cyclotron. When taking into account the mechanical life span of cyclotron, it is deemed necessary to develop additional shielding and a low activation material.”.
GFRP is a suitable engineered replacement for the steel rebars that cannot be activated i.e. cannot be made radioactive.
GFRP reinforcing is not a new technology, it has been used for more than 20 years now, and in Australia for around 12 years.
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