Abstract
Methods for measuring the thickness of lead shielding based on 60Co gamma-ray spectroscopy are presented. In applications where a shield's thickness is multiple mean free paths and the shield has a complex shape (i.e. cannot be approximated as a simple solid such as a slab, sphere, semi-infinite medium, etc.), the necessary buildup factors are not available. Thus, determination of shield thickness by means of the Beer–Lambert law requires separating the counts from uncollided photons from the scattered photon contribution. It is demonstrated how the 1332 keV gamma ray of 60Co can be used to precisely quantify lead thicknesses up to at least ∼280 mm. Use of the ratio of 1173 keV to 1332 keV photopeak areas to determine thickness is also discussed.
Recommended Citation
J. T. Graham et al., "Use of Gamma-ray Spectroscopy in Thickness Gauging of a Complex-shaped Lead Shield," Radiation Measurements, vol. 191, article no. 107582, Elsevier, Feb 2026.
The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radmeas.2025.107582
Department(s)
Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science
Publication Status
Full Text Access
Keywords and Phrases
Gamma ray spectroscopy; Gamma-ray buildup; Lead shielding; Nuclear thickness gauging
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
1350-4487
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Citation
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2026 Elsevier, All rights reserved.
Publication Date
01 Feb 2026
