Study of Radon Gas Diffusion and its Permeability through Some Building Construction Materials by Using SSNTD Technique

Study of radon gas diffusion and radon permeability through some building construction materials has been carried out by using solid state nuclear track detectors (LR-115, type II plastic track detectors). Uranium ore has been used as a radon source. In the present work radon diffusion coefficient and corresponding diffusion length through some building materials like sand stone, gypsum, fly ash, soil, cement, granite, sand and lime stone have been calculated. The comparative radon permeability through these materials has also been studied. The average radon diffusion coefficient and corresponding diffusion length was found maximum (4.23106 m2/s and 1.42 m) for sand and minimum (0.05 m2/s and 0.14m) for granite. The building construction materials like soil, fly ash and cement are found to be least permeable to radon flow. Similarly the building materials sand stone, gypsum and sand are found to be permeable to radon flow while the building materials lime stone and granite are found to be radon-tight.