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Conference Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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The RAIN scale: A good intention that falls short
Radiation protection specialists agree that clear communication of radiation risks remains a vexing challenge that cannot be solved solely by finding new ways to convey technical information.
Earlier this year, an article in Nuclear News described a new radiation risk communication tool, known as the Radiation Index, or, RAIN (“Let it RAIN: A new approach to radiation communication,” NN, Jan. 2025, p. 36). The authors of the article created the RAIN scale to improve radiation risk communication to the general public who are not well-versed in important aspects of radiation exposures, including radiation dose quantities, units, and values; associated health consequences; and the benefits derived from radiation exposures.
Mohamed A. E. Abdel-Rahman, Mohamed A. E. M. Ali, Sayed A. El-Mongy
Nuclear Technology | Volume 206 | Number 5 | May 2020 | Pages 766-778
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2019.1697173
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
This research work aims to investigate the penetrability of electromagnetic gamma rays and fast neutrons and the static performance of newly developed concrete. To achieve this target, seven concrete samples of three different coarse aggregates—dolomite, hematite, iron slag (with five different densities, i.e., 3.23, 3.34, 3.42, 3.10, and 3.03 g/cm3, respectively) with dolomite used as the control specimen—have been synthesized and investigated to determine their mechanical and radiation penetration properties. The mechanical performances were evaluated in terms of tensile and compressive strength, slump measurements, and water permeability. X-ray fluorescence was carried out to determine the chemical composition of the synthesized materials. The materials’ mineralogical constituents were also determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. The radiation transmissioxn characteristics were also checked by using gamma-ray collimated beams of both 60Co and 238Pu/Be neutron source. A stilbene crystal organic scintillator coupled with a fast n/γ pulse shape discriminating spectrometer as well as an NaI(Tl) scintillator gamma spectrometer were used to measure the radiation penetrated through the concrete samples. The fast neutron macroscopic cross section and total gamma-ray linear attenuation were derived for the developed mixes. The results obtained show that iron slag concrete of density 3.10 ton/m3 has superior characteristics against the transmission of gamma rays and fast neutrons and distinguished resistance withstanding mechanical pressure and loads.