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In cold weather, masonry construction requires specific precautions to ensure mortar does not freeze before curing, as this can significantly weaken its strength and watertightness. Mortar temperature should be maintained between 60°F and 80°F to support proper hydration and curing. Below 40°F, mortar water must be heated, but should not exceed 120°F as high temperatures can reduce mortar's compressive and bond strength.
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In hot, dry climates, the thermal mass of masonry walls can be beneficial, absorbing heat during the day and releasing it at night, thereby stabilizing indoor temperatures. However, in most other climates, additional insulation is necessary to enhance thermal resistance.
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Assessing Disaster Resilience of Concrete with Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles
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Thoron Mitigation from Building Materials with Surface Barriers.

G de With1, P de Jong, J J Donk

  • 1*NRG Arnhem, Utrechtseweg 310, P.O. Box 9034, 6800 ES Arnhem, The Netherlands; †Nuclear Research and consultancy Group (NRG), Utrechtseweg 310, NL-6800 ES Arnhem, The Netherlands.

Health Physics
|September 30, 2016
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Surface barriers significantly reduce thoron (radon) exhalation from building materials by over 90%. However, product properties do not reliably predict barrier performance for radon mitigation in homes.

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Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Radiation Protection
  • Building Materials Science

Background:

  • Thoron (radon) exhalation from building materials is a recognized source of indoor radiation exposure.
  • Limited research exists on effective mitigation strategies for thoron and its progeny in dwellings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify thoron exhalation reduction using common surface barriers.
  • To assess how surface roughness, barrier thickness, and cover influence thoron retention.

Main Methods:

  • Application of standard surface barriers to building materials.
  • Measurement of thoron exhalation rates before and after barrier application.
  • Analysis of factors including surface roughness, barrier thickness, and surface cover.

Main Results:

  • Common surface barriers achieved over 90% reduction in thoron exhalation.
  • Some materials showed no reduction, indicating variable barrier effectiveness.
  • No consistent product property reliably predicted barrier performance for thoron reduction.

Conclusions:

  • Surface barriers offer a promising method for reducing indoor thoron exposure.
  • Material selection for effective thoron mitigation requires further investigation beyond common properties.