Mechanical and radiation shielding assessment of high-density/magnetite-cementitious plaster for repair and retrofit of nuclear power plant structures

Abstract Concrete plays a critical role in nuclear power plants (NPPs) as structural material and radiation shielding. Severe defects during construction of NPP concrete could lead to catastrophic leakages. Therefore, cement plaster propably with acceptable radiation protection could be a good solution as a repairing technique. Thus, this study investigates the mechanical and radiation shielding properties of non-conventional cementitious plaster incorporating magnetite powder as a partial/full replacement for traditional sand. ​Five cement plaster mixtures were proposed with varying proportions of magnetite powder and sand, in which their mechanical and radiation attenuation properties were analyzed.…