Radiation-shielding concrete has been analyzed by several methods of destructive and non-destructive testing (NDT). Concretes made of crushed basalt, magnetite, serpentinite, and two different types of cement (Portland cement CEM I and slag cement CEM III/A) were studied. In this study, we analyzed concrete columns with a height of 1200 mm and a cross-section of 200 × 200 mm2. The top and bottom of the column were analyzed using data from compressive strength, dynamic modulus of elasticity, water penetration, and diffusion coefficients derived from the electrical resistivity test. This article presents the properties of fresh concrete and concrete after two years of setting. It was determined how the different ratios of basalt, magnetite, and serpentinite affect the individual measured parameters. Furthermore, correlation relations between individual resulting values were analyzed. It was observed that compressive strength generally does not correlate with other results. The diffusion coefficient correlated well with density and water penetration. Little or no correlation was observed in the diffusion coefficient with compressive strength and modulus of elasticity. The results of the study make it possible to refine the testing of heavy concretes in terms of electrical resistivity, and point to the possible use of NDT methods. The results also show which composition of heavy concrete is better in terms of effective diffusivity.
Keywords: NDT; Portland cement; diffusion; magnetite aggregate; radiation-shielding concrete; self-compacting concrete; serpentine aggregate; slag cement.