Muthanna Journal of Engineering and Technology
MJET
Volume 1 issue 1, 2015
Abstract
The radioactive properties of building materials used for the construction of habitable structures in Iraq were investigated in this study. In the framework of this paper, ten samples of commonly used building materials (bricks and rocks used for incasing) were collected from ten Iraqi provinces for radiometric analysis. The activity concentrations of natural radionuclides in the selected samples were determined by gamma ray spectrometry using sodium iodide (NaI) detector. Based on the results of this study, the use of rocks for incasing manufactured in Al-Rumadi is considered to be unsafe for human habitation from radiological points of view due to relatively high background radioactivity. The radioactivity levels for building materials for the remaining investigated areas were well within the permissible limits.
Keywords: Natural Radioactivity Levels, Radiation Hazards, Building Materials