A comparative analysis of shielding effectiveness in glass and concrete containers

Abstract

Nuclear waste control and related equipment play a vital role in safeguarding human health and the environment from the potential dangers of radioactive waste. This study addresses the critical challenge of enhancing the shielding effectiveness of container materials for nuclear waste management, with a focus on comparing the attenuation properties of glass and concrete composites. Our analysis revealed that the copper oxide-reinforced borosilicate glass container demonstrated a significant transmission factor (TF) value decrease by approximately 15% compared to steel–magnetite concrete at 1.3325 MeV, with a standard deviation of ±1.5%, indicating its lower protective characteristics. Nonetheless, it exhibited a 10% higher TF reduction compared to the cement–bitumen mix at the same energy level, with a precision error of ±1.2%. In addition, the half-value layer for this glass was determined to be 2.5 cm for 1.3325 MeV gamma rays, showing moderate shielding capacity. The study demonstrates that optimizing the oxide content in the borosilicate glass matrix significantly enhances its shielding effectiveness. This advancement in nuclear waste management materials is justified by our comprehensive evaluation, highlighting the potential of optimized glass materials to outperform traditional concrete in certain scenarios, thus contributing to the development of more effective nuclear waste containment solutions.