Investigation of X-ray Shielding Properties of Concrete Containing Different Percentages of Recycled Lead Shots

This study investigated the recycled lead in shot form with maximum radius of 1.18 mm that added to concrete constituents in different percentages of lead-to-cement ratio (20% to 140%) by weight.

Several tests on fresh and hardened concrete were carried out. The fresh concrete was tested for slump and workability. The tests of hardened concrete included compressive strength at 7 days, 14 days, and 28 days. The penetration of x-ray to concrete after 14 days from casting date was done using a basic x-ray machine as source at 100KeV and 120KeV energies.

An X-Ray Dosimeter STEP OD-01 used as detector to measure the radiation dose rate (µsv/h) that penetrated the concrete samples.

It is observed that the lead-to-cement ratio of 80% gives the best results, where the compressive strength is the max at this value as well as the shielding properties improved.