Influence of the migration of radioactive contaminants in soil, resident occupancy, and variability in contamination on isodose lines for typical Northern European houses

In the remedial phase following an accidental radioactive release, it is important that soil decontamination measures are carried out on the areas that contribute most to the radiation dose. In this study, the newly developed concept of isodose lines was applied to the area around typical Swedish dwellings to identify these areas.

The influence of the most common building materials in Sweden, wood and brick, and the importance of the positions of doors and windows on the isodose lines were demonstrated for specific positions inside the houses, as well as for the entire house, assuming the residents exhibit typical resident occupancy.

Decontamination of the areas within certain isodose lines was shown to result in a greater dose reduction than decontaminating the same area of soil within a certain distance of the house. Furthermore, the impact of vertical migration of the radioactive contaminants in the soil on the isodose lines was studied, showing that the area enclosed by isodose lines decreases over time as the contaminants migrate deeper into the soil.

The resulting isodose lines and their change over time are dominated by the downward movement of the contamination in the upper layer of soil. The impact of the variability in contamination on the final isodose lines and their dependence on building materials are demonstrated.