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Effect of gamma irradiation on the mechanical properties of carbonation reaction products in mortar

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Abstract

Prediction of carbonation progress in concrete exposed to ionizing radiation is important for the durability assessment of nuclear power plants, eventually needed for operational license extension. The objective of this work is to reveal the influence of gamma irradiation on the carbonation development and resulting microstructural features of cement mortar. The composition of mortar was varied by using mineral additions. Canned specimens at elevated CO2 concentration environment were exposed to gamma irradiation up to the absorbed dose of 1.6 MGy in the vicinity of spent nuclear fuel rods in pool of research reactor. Micromechanical properties of carbonation reaction products were determined using nanoindentation tests. The carbonation depth was found to increase with increasing absorbed γ dose. The size of calcite crystals was about three times greater in irradiated specimens. Gamma irradiation improved the micromechanical properties of carbonation products. Effects of mineral additives on the characteristics of irradiated mortar are discussed.

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Acknowledgements

The financial support by The National Centre for Research and Development, Poland (Project V4-Korea/2/2018) is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Fundamental Technological Research Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawińskiego 5b, 02-106, Warsaw, Poland

    Daria Jóźwiak-Niedźwiedzka, Mariusz Dąbrowski, Kinga Dziedzic, Dariusz Jarząbek, Aneta Antolik, Piotr Denis & Michał A. Glinicki

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  1. Daria Jóźwiak-Niedźwiedzka
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Contributions

DJN: Conceptualization, Data curation, Investigation, Methodology, Validation, Writing—original draft, Writing—review & editing. MD: Conceptualization, Investigation, Writing—review & editing. KD: Investigation, Writing—review & editing. DJ: Investigation, Validation, Writing—review & editing. AA: Investigation, Writing—review & editing. PD: Investigation, Writing—review & editing. MAG: Formal analysis, Funding acquisition, Methodology, Project administration, Supervision, Writing—review & editing.

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Correspondence to Daria Jóźwiak-Niedźwiedzka.

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Jóźwiak-Niedźwiedzka, D., Dąbrowski, M., Dziedzic, K. et al. Effect of gamma irradiation on the mechanical properties of carbonation reaction products in mortar. Mater Struct 55, 164 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1617/s11527-022-02003-w

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