Monte-Carlo simulations of external dose contributions from the surrounding ground areas of residential homes in a typical Northern European suburban area after a radioactive fallout scenario

Abstract

AbstractThe emissions of $$^{137}\hbox {Cs}$$ 137 Cs into the environment from the nuclear accidents in Chernobyl in 1986 and Fukushima in 2011 led to the need to decontaminate large areas to avert radiation doses to the population in the affected areas. To be able to perform cost-effective and sustainable remediation, knowledge is needed about how radiation doses can be minimized through optimized interventions such that the greatest possible reduction in radiation dose is obtained with the smallest possible negative impact on the area. Theoretical calculations have been performed to determine how radiation doses in single family houses in a typical Swedish residential suburb arise from a hypothetical $$^{137}\hbox {Cs}$$ 137 Cs deposition on the ground. The intention was to highlight how remediation of different parts of the surroundings affects the radiation dose to the residents in a particular property. A Monte Carlo model of the houses and the environment in a suburban area was set up to allow calculations of the dose contributions from different contaminated ground areas such as their own property, neighbouring properties, streets and surrounding recreational areas. Calculations were performed for eleven observation points inside different rooms of the house and one observation point in the garden outside the house, for four houses in the neighbourhood, and for two types of building construction material. The influence of the time spent in different rooms of the house and the contamination of areas surrounding the house was studied. The results show that in general the main dose contribution originates from their own property, but that a significant part (30–80%, depending on the observation point) can come from other areas, showing the importance of considering the surroundings in remediation actions. More detailed analysis of the results showed that the dose contribution from a source region is in general highly dependent on the position of windows in a brick house, whereas for a wooden house the distance to the source region is also of relevance.