GOST 30108-94

International Standard
Building materials and units
Determination of specific activity of natural radioactive nuclei.

The date of introduction 1995-01-01

1. This standard was developed by NIICF institute with cooperation of VNIPII of Russian
Federation.
It was put forward by Russian Gosstroi.
2. It was taken in 14.03.1994 by International scientific and technical committee on
standardization and technical regulation in construction.
The following countries voted:

Country Construction Manager State Structure

Azerbaijan Azerbaijan Republic State Structure

Armenia Town-planning Ministry of Armenia

Belarus Architecture Ministry of Belarus Republic

Kazakhstan Architecture and Construction Agent of

Economy and Commerce Ministry of
Kazakhstan Republic

Kyrgyzstan Architecture and Construction Ministry of

Kyrgyzstan

Russian Federation State Structure of Russia

Tajikistan State Structure of Tajikistan

3. It was put into operation for the first time

4. It was put into operation starting with 01.01.1995 as the State Standard of Russian
Federation by Solution of State Structure of 30.06.1994 No 18-48.

1. Usage Field

The present Standard shall deal with inorganic loose building materials (crushed stone,
gravel, sand, cement, gypsum etc) and building units (facing slabs, decorative and other
units from natural stone, brick and masonry units), also, with production wastes used
directly as building materials or as raw materials to produce them. The present Standard
shall ascertain determination methods of specific activity of natural radioactive nuclei for
building materials and units estimate in accordance with requirements given in Appendix
A, and control operation sequence.

2. Normative references.

This Standard uses references on the following standards:

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GOST 8.326-89 GSI. Metrological certification of measuring devices. General regulations.

GOST 8.513-84 GSI. Checking of measuring devices. Organization and sequence of

operation.

GOST 24104-88 Laboratory balance of general function and exemplary one. General
specification.

GOST 29329-92 balance for static weighing . General specification.

3. Definitions, symbols and abbreviations

This Standard uses the following terms and abbreviations:

Natural radioactive nuclei (NRN) – main natural radioactive nuclei, which are found in
building materials: radium (226Ra), thorium (232Th), potassium (40K);

Specific activity of radionuclide (A) – in the ratio of radionuclide activity in the sample to
sample weight, Bq/kg;

Specific activity efficiency of NRN (Aeff) – total specific activity of NRN in a material,
which is to be defined by formula, taking into account their biological influence on humane
constitution:

Aeff = ARa + 1.31ATh+0.085 AK, (1)

Where ARa, ATh, AK – specific activities of Radium, Thorium, Potassium respectively, Bq/kg.

4. DETERMINATION METHODS OF SPECIFIC ACTIVITY OF NATURAL

RADIOACTIVE NUCLEI
This standard determines express and laboratory methods of specific activity of natural
radioactive nuclei definition in building materials and units.

4.1 Express method

4.1.1 Method function

Express method is to be destined for carrying out:

- recurrence and inspection control of loose building materials and wastage (further –
loose materials), also, building units in accordance with acting normative documents;

- preliminary estimate of developing rocks in a quarry (appendix D).

Condition of the express method usage is to be an absence of materials and units

contamination by man-caused radio nuclei.

4.1.2 Control Methods.

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4.1.2.1 Portable radiometers of NRN specific activity using gamma-spectrometric method of
measuring (eg. the kind of RKP-305MS), with the following features:

- inferior limit of specific activity sizing not more than 100 Bq/kg;

- ratio error of specific activity sizing not more than 30%.

4.1.2.2 Control radionuclide source with activity from 100 up to 1000 Bq for checking of
reproducibility of radiometer measurements.

4.1.2.3 Used radiometric equipment shall be put necessarily to the state metrological test
according to GOST 8.326 and GOST 8.513, which are acknowledged by governmental
metrological certification. This equipment shall be completed in the way established by
measurement procedures, which provide necessary amendments introduction and results
error estimate in conditions of practical measurements.

4.1.3 Equipment preparation sequence and efficiency control

Equipment preparation to carry out measurements shall be made in accordance with

operation instructions.

To check equipment running before and after working measurements, measurements are
to be carried out with the help of control source. Index difference between these
measurements shall not exceed 5%.

4.1.4 Control operation sequence.

4.1.4.1 On loose materials control at warehouse, points of reference are to be selected;

- on cones or stacks (piles) – by horizontal cut perimeters with intervals not more than
10 m, the height of the lower cut from cone or stack footing shall be not less than 1 m;

- on inwash chart – at rectangular net junctions 10x10m.

4.1.4.2 On inspection test of loose building materials, reference points are to be selected
at each vehicle at length not less than 1 m from sidewall:

- at railway traffic (gondola and platform) – not less than 2 points;

- at automobile traffic – one point in the centre of body;

- at water transport (at barge or bunker tonnage)- not less than two points, located along
vessel axis.

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 4.1.4.3 A rectangular prism with the base not less than 1.2x1.2 m and 0.5 height is to be
formed from building units on their control or units pan, which are set not in the
form of “herring bone”, is to be selected with the sizes not less than established
and reference point shall be selected at the center of upper surface of units.

4.1.4.4 Measurements are to be carried out by radiometer detection block setting in

reference point on material plane surface. Plane surface is to be considered that
one, which has lug (hollow) size not exceeding detection block diameter.

Not less than 3 consecutive measurements are to be carried out in each reference
point.

4.1.4.5 To decrease lateral radiation influence on results, measurements shall be carried

out on the distance not less than 20 m from buildings, structures, massifs and
building materials and units.

4.1.5 Rules of measurement result processing

4.1.5.1 Specific activity sizing result in reference point is to be considered an index,

which is defined by formula:

1 n
Aeff . t   Aeff .i  △,
n i 1

where i=1, 2,…, n - measurement number in the given point;

n – measurement quantity in the given point (n≥3);

Aeff.i – Aeff value on i-measurement;

△ – measurement absolute error, estimated according to measurement operation
procedure.

4.1.5.2 Sizing result of specific activity of NRN in material consignment (Aeff.t.p) is to be

considered maximal Aeff.t.j index, received on measuring in reference points of the
given consignment.

4.1.6 Registration rules of control results

Metrage and control results are to be registered in the diary of appendix B form.

Control date, material (unit) description, affixment reference points measurement, condition
measurement features (distance from lateral radiation, air temperature and others), equipment
index (specific activity index of each radionuclide or specific activity of NRN in material)
with error estimate, Aeff.p sizing result, preliminary conclusion of material type.

In case of the Aeff.p index on controlling is equal to upper boundary value established for the
correspondent type, material is necessary to refer to the next type.

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4.2 Laboratory method

4.2.1 Method function

Laboratory method is to be for:

- ascertaining building material (unit) type;

- ascertaining building material (unit) type in case of getting boundary indexes by

express method;

- certification of produce.

4.2.2 Control devices

4.2.2.1 Radiometric plant on the basis of stationary gamma-spectrometer with the

following features:

- energy range of registered gamma-radiation from 0.1 up to 3 MeV;

- lower limit of specific activity definition of each NRN not more than 50Bq/kg;

- ratio error of specific activity definition of NRN not more than 20% on 0.95
confidence probability.

4.2.2.2 Complete set of certified measures (standards) of specific activity of NRN.

4.2.2.3 Auxiliary equipment:

- container set for material hinging of established volume with heads;

- laboratory crusher;

- control sieve with the round holes and 5 mm diameter;

- drying oven;

- dial-indicating bench scales according to 29329 or laboratory balance according to

GOST 24104.

4.2.2.4 Radiometric plant shall have state metrological certification and specific activity
of NRN measurement system in the established order.

4.2.3 Equipment preparation sequence to control operation

Preparation of radiometric plant to measuring and measuring are to be carried out in

accordance with measurement operation system.

4.2.4 Control operation sequence

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 4.2.4.1 Selection and preparation of tests.

Specific activity determination of NRN in loose materials is to be carried out on hinging

selected from representative sample.

A representative sample is to be got by mixing and quartering of not less than 10

punctual tests, selected from reference points and stipulated in 4.1.4.1 and 4.1.4.2. Test
selection is to be carried out according to requirements of acting normative documents.
Representative sample with the granule size at more than 5 mm is to be crumbled up to
granule sizes less than 5 mm. Test with the weight from 2.5 up to 10 kg is to be packed
into double sack, between walls of which test chart with material description, works
addresses, which directed test, locations and dates of test selection are to be placed. It
depends on volume used in radiometric plant of container.

Determination of specific activity of NRN in building units and facing materials of

natural stone is to be carried out on hingings selected from representative test as well.

Representative test with weight from 2.5 up to 10 kg is to be got by crumbling up units

(of brick, tile, natural stone received in making facing materials), selected on acceptance
according to acting normative documents. The usage of the material received on
determination of pressing breaking point, stretching or bend of units or specially
prepared samples are to be admitted.

Representative test with granule size not less than 5 mm shall be packed into double
sack as was mentioned above.

To determine specific activity of NRN, received representative tests are to be dried up to

a steady weight. Then five containers are to be filled in and weighed. Bulk density is to
be defined by division of hinging mass in each container by container volume.

Containers are to be closed hermetically, marked and kept in indoor conditions during
that time established in measurement operation systems to get radioactive balance of
NRN.

4.2.4.2 Containers with hinging are to be set in radiometric set and made measurements
according to measurement operation system step by step.

4.2.5 The rules of processing and registration of measurements and control results.

4.2.5.1 Result processing and measurement error estimate are to be realized in

accordance with measurement operation system for each hinging and for each of
NRN separately.
4.2.5.2 Equidistributed estimate of specific activity of each radionuclide (Aj) by five
hingings is to be considered as measurement results of specific activity of NRN
in the representative test:

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 1 n
j   Aij ,
n i 1 (3)

where i=1,2, …, n – hinging number.

Absolute error of Aj sizing is to be calculated by formula

A 2
ij  nA 2 j
 1.7 i 1
 j
△j n 1 , (4)

where  j - absolute error of specific activity determination of radionuclide j in test

hinging, estimated according to measurement operation system on radiometric plant.

4.2.5.3 Index of specific activity of NRN (Aeff) for representative test is to be calculated
according to formula (1) with using indexes Aj for each radionuclide.

Absolute error of Aeff sizing is to be calculated by formula

△ = 2Ra  1.7  2Th  0.007  2K . (5)

4.2.5.4 Index is to be considered as a result of specific activity determination of NRN in

controlled material and establishing material type, if it is defined by formula

Aeff.m=Aeff+△. (6)

4.2.5.4 Results of specific activity determination of NRN in materials are to be

registered and the following shall be indicated:
- material description;

- designation of manufacturer or consumer works;

- location of points of test selection;

- dates of test selection and measurement operation;

- specific activity of radium, potassium and thorium with errors;

- specific activity with error;

- surname, position and signature of a person who carried measurement out.

4.2.5.5 Test results of the material are to be registered in the form of test report given in
the B appendix.

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 Appendix A
(obligatory)

Criteria for decision of building materials using according to hygienic regulations

(Temporary criteria to organize control and taking decisions, approved by Kondrusev,
State sanitary inspector of the USSR, #5789-91 of 10.06.91)

Specific activity Material type Field of usage

(Aeff), Bq/kg

Before 370 I All kinds of construction

Above 370 up to 740 II Road construction within built-up

area and perspective construction
area; production structures
construction.

From 740 up to 2800 III Road construction out of built-up

area

Above 2800 IV Query of material usage is to be

taken by an agreement with
Goskomsanepidnadzor.
Note – specific activity index may be taken according to national norms acting on
the State territory.

Appendix B
(recommended)

Registry of building materials (units) radiation control

Measuring material, consignment, vehicle.

Date_______________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________

Operator_____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________

Instrument____________________________________________________

Number of Affixment Measurement Measurement results at the point Aeff.t

reference of conditions, t
point reference ºC, air Measurement Metrage of Error △
j point humidity number i radiometric
Aeff.i

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 1

Determination result of specific activity of NRN in building materials (units)

Aeff,p_____________________

Conclusion of material type______________________________________

Appendix C
(recommended)

Test report on determination of specific activity of NRN in building materials

(units)

1. Designation of organization and subdivision, which carried measurements out;

number of accreditation certificate (certificate of state metrological accreditation of
radiometric plant)
2. Date of measurement operation
3. Measuring method
4. Material description (GOST, TU)
5. Designation of manufacturer and consumer works
6. Quantity and location of reference points
7. measurements results of representative test (number of test report upon working log)

Number of Specific activity, Bq/kg Determination Aeff.m

hinging error
226Ra 232Th 40K

Note – data of activity are to be given with indications of measuring errors.

8. Conclusion of type material__________________________________________

9. Position and signature of a person, who is responsible for measurement

operation________________________________________________________

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 Appendix D
(recommended)

Determination of specific activity of rocks in a quarry.

Reference points at the quarry bottom are to be located in the network rectangular node
10x10 m.

Reference points on roof and bottom bench are to be located along the profile with an
interval not more than 10 m. The distance between profiles shall be from 5 up to 10 m,
the distance of profile from the bench edge – from 1 up to 5 m.

To register lateral radiation influence from benches with the height more than 1 m,
measured index of Aeff should be divided by correction factor given below.

Distance between 0 1 5 10 20
reference point and
high wall, m
1.5 1.45 1.28 1.1 1.0
Correction factor

Reference points on high wall are to be located to the profile along field of operations
with interval not more than 10 m on profile height from bench bottom not less than 1 m.
Correction factor on 1 m height is equal to 1.45 m.

If Aeff indexes > 370 Bq/kg, testing interval should be increased for contouring of
abnormal sites to refer rocks to II, III or IV types of building materials in accordance
with requirements given in Appendix A.

1 usage field
2 normative references
3 definitions, symbols and abbreviations
4 determination methods of specific activity of NRN
Appendix A (obligatory)
Appendix B (recommended). Registry of building materials (units) radiation control.
Appendix C (recommended). Test report on determination of specific activity of NRN in
building materials (units).
Appendix D (recommended). Determination of specific activity of rocks in a quarry.

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