Gamma radiation determination of absorption coefficients of cement sand block

Abstract

Three bands of cement with different trade names, Dangote, UNICEM, and Eagle cement wereseparately molded into cement-sand blocks at different proportions of cement sand ratio of2:3, 3:7 and 1:4 by weight for each of the cement brand were prepared and allowed to cure.We exposed the blocks to gamma radiation for the determination of attenuation coefficient,half thickness, and mass absorption coefficient. We also determined density values for theblocks. The results for the cement samples show that the higher the cement content in thecement sand block, the higher the density value and the gamma attenuation coefficient,suggesting that cement sand block with a high proportion of cement content makes for a goodshielding in gamma radiation exposed environment, Gamma radiation attenuation the methodcan equally be a useful technique for cement sand block quality control in buildingconstruction industry.