A FLUKA-Based Study on the Effect of Boron-Enhanced Concrete on Secondary Neutron Dose under Proton Beam Loss Scenarios
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22399/ijnasen.30Keywords:
Proton accelerator, Secondary neutrons, Boron-enhanced concrete, Neutron shielding, FLUKA simulationAbstract
In proton accelerator facilities, interactions between high-energy protons and target materials lead to the production of secondary neutrons over a broad energy spectrum. These neutrons generate complex radiation fields within accelerator tunnels and surrounding structural components, resulting in significant dose contributions with direct implications for personnel and environmental safety. In this study, the effects of concrete enhanced with ferroboron and boron carbide (B₄C) additives at concentrations of 5%, 10%, and 15% on secondary neutron dose distributions were investigated using FLUKA Monte Carlo simulations. The simulations were performed under proton beam loss scenarios at an energy of approximately 1000 MeV, and the shielding performance of the materials was evaluated by calculating the ambient dose equivalent, H*(10). The results demonstrate that boron-enhanced concretes provide a substantial improvement in neutron attenuation compared with standard concrete, thereby contributing to the development of effective and optimized shielding designs for proton accelerator facilities. This study offers a valuable reference for radiation protection considerations in high-energy accelerator environments.
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