Enhancing Gamma Radiation Shielding: A Comparison of Magnetite-Enhanced Concrete and Conventional Concrete

Advanced technology such as gamma radiation has various applications but also poses a threat to the environment as well as living organisms. The development of effective methods for shielding against these radiations is crucial to mitigate their intensity. Therefore, the current investigation attempted to enhance the shielding capability of concrete by replacing normal aggregate with magnetite aggregate collected from the Swat district, Pakistan. A concrete sample (treated samples) was prepared considering seven different values of the water-cement ratios (W/C) ranging from 0.40 to 0.70 with a curing time of 28 days. The results demonstrate a significant advancement in the shielding capacity of magnetite concrete compared to normal concrete, with a 21.47% increase in compressive strength and a 16.49% enhancement in tensile strength of magnetite samples relative to normal concrete. Additionally, when compared to traditional radiation shielding materials such as barite and hematite, magnetite concrete offers superior performance due to its density and cost-effectiveness. The linear attenuation coefficient (μ) showed a direct relationship with concrete densities, with a reduction in μ values observed as W/C increased from 0.40 to 0.70. A 36% reduction in the Half Value Level was noted at a W/C of 0.50. The findings conclude that the optimum W/C value is 0.50, at which magnetite concrete provides maximum shielding.