1. Definition and scope of application of radiation protection concrete

In the nuclear industry, radiation protection concretes refer to a wide range of materials used to stop or attenuate different types of radiation in order to provide biological protection or prevent criticality. These materials, directly derived from ordinary concretes, are characterized by the presence of one or more specific ingredients, depending on the protection required. The products used are either substitutes for or additions to conventional ingredients, and most often concern the majority constituent of concrete, i.e. the aggregate.

There are two main types of concrete, corresponding to the two primary functions sought:

• Heavy concretes, used for protection against X- and γ-type photon radiation, requiring high density;

• neutrophage concretes, used for protection against neutrons...