A Comprehensive Study on Gamma-Ray Exposure Build-Up Factors and Fast Neutron Removal Cross Sections of Fly-Ash Bricks

Geometric progression (GP) method was utilized to investigate gamma-ray exposure build-up factors of fly-ash bricks for energies from 0.015 to 15 MeV up to 40 mfp penetration depth. The EBFs of the fly-ash bricks are dependent upon the photon energy, penetration depths, and the chemical compositions of the elements. Appreciable variations in exposure build-up factor (EBF) are noted for the fly-ash bricks. The EBFs were found to be small in low and high photon energy regions whereas very large in medium energy region. EBF of the bricks is inversely proportional to equivalent atomic number below 10 mfp for entire energy region of interest 0.015 to 15 MeV. The EBFs of fly-ash, brick of mud, and common brick were similar at 1.5 MeV photon energy. The EBF of the fly-ash bricks was found to be higher than that of the brick of mud, and common brick. The fast neutron removal cross sections of the fly-ash bricks, brick of mud, and common bricks were also calculated which were found to be in the same order. It is expected that this study should be very directly useful for shielding effectiveness of fly-ash brick materials and dose estimation.