- Author
-
Yokel, F. Y.
- Title
- Site Characterization for Radon Source Potential.
- Coporate
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD
- Sponsor
- Department of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, DC
State of New Jersey, Trenton
Ryland Group, Inc., Columbia, MD
- Report
-
NISTIR 89-4106
June 1989
59 p.
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Keywords
-
site surveys; radon; soil analysis; buildings; exploration; concentration (composition); soil properties; moisture content; permeability; atmospheric pressure; wind velocity; field tests; gamma ray spectroscopy; density (mass/volume); sources; numerical analysis; temperature; radioactivity
- Identifiers
- soil gases; environmental transport; indoor air pollution
- Abstract
- Radon source potential characterization of sites in terms of soil index properties which do not vary with transient conditions such as moisture content, barometric pressure, temperature and wind speed is studied. The invariant index properties which were found to be critical for site characterization are radium activity concentration in the soil, in-place dry density, porosity, and dry gas permeability. These properties can be measured in situ or in the laboratory or estimated on the basis of other soil index properties such as grain-size distribution and Atterberg limits. Various expressions for radon source potential are reviewed and a new expression is formulated on the basis of data from areas of deep glacial terrace deposits. Site exploration methods proposed include use of the Standard Penetration Test together with a laboratory determination of radium activity concentration, and a rapid field measurement procedure using a portable gamma ray spectrometer, a portable nuclear moisture-density meter and retrieval of a soil sample for laboratory determination of particle-size distribution. A plan to develop exploration protocols, test the effectiveness of the source potential prediction, and prepare a draft exploration standard is proposed.