PSI - Issue 22

ScienceDirect Structural Integrity Procedia 00 (2019) 000 – 000 Structural Integrity Procedia 00 (2019) 000 – 000 Available online at www.sciencedirect.com Available online at www.sciencedirect.com ScienceDirect Available online at www.sciencedirect.com ScienceDirect

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Procedia Structural Integrity 22 (2019) 386–392

First International Symposium on Risk and Safety of Complex Structures and Components Radon risk analysis in a set of public buildings in Minho region, Portugal: from short-term monitoring to radon risk assessment First International Symposium on Risk and Safety of Complex Structures and Components Radon risk analysis in a set of public buildings in Minho region, Portugal: from short-term monitor ng to radon risk assessment

António Curado a,c *, João P. Silva a , Sérgio I. Lopes b,d a ProMetheus - Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo, Viana do Castelo, Portugal b ARC4DigIT - Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo, Viana do Castelo, Portugal c CONSTRUCT LFC, Faculty of Engineering (FEUP), University of Porto, Portugal d Instituto de Telecomunicações, Aveiro, Portugal António Curado a,c *, João P. Silva a , Sérgio I. Lopes b,d a ProMetheus - Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo, Viana do Castelo, Portugal b ARC4DigIT - Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo, Viana do Castelo, Portugal c CONSTRUCT LFC, Faculty of Engineering (FEUP), University of Porto, Portugal d Instituto de Telecomunicações, Aveiro, Portugal

2452-3216 © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) Peer-review under responsibility of the First International Symposium on Risk and Safety of Complex Structures and Components organizers 10.1016/j.prostr.2020.01.048 2452-3216 © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) Peer-review statement: Peer-review under responsibility of the First International Symposium on Risk and Safety of Complex Structures and Components organizers 2452 3216 © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) Peer-review statement: Peer-review under responsibility of the First International Symposium on Risk and Safety of Complex Structures and Components organizers © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) Peer-review under responsibility of the First International Symposium on Risk and Safety of Complex Structures and Components organizers The Indoor Effective Dose (IED) calculation, considering a dosimetric approach for the room occupation schedule, allowed concluding that during all working day, the office was above the occupational dose limit of 1 mSv/year, prescribed by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). According to r esults, there is evidence that the occupants’ radon risk exposure is very high, wherefore some remediation measures are mandatory. The room mitigation actions should necessarily involve a set of technical solutions to reduce the potential risk for occupants combined with some awareness-raising activities to alert for risk occupation during large periods. Thus, a radon mitigation strategy is obligatory in order to provide occupants´ protection. strategy to reduc occupant ’ ado risk exposure is an issu of big actuality, of greater urgency and of extreme n ces ity. An ad inistrative bui ding made with granite stonework and founded over granite rocks, located in an inner city of Minho region, No th of Port g l, was extensively ass s ed to characterize indoor radon conc tration, air temp ratur and relative humi ity in two office rooms, ground floor and a top floor room. Th ground floor offi e has numerous occupants during large p r ds, and the radon risk analysis showed hazard concerning radon gas exposure. The experimental assessment involv d th use of short- erm measure ents of ne complete week, over winter and summer seasons. The Indoor Eff ctive Dose (IED) calculation, considering a dosimetric appr ach for th room occup tion schedule, allowed concluding that during all working day, the offic was above the occ pational d se limit of 1 mSv/year, prescribed by the Int rnati nal Commission on Radiologic l Protection (ICRP). According to r esults, there is eviden e th t the occupants’ radon risk exposure is very high, he efore some r mediation measur s are mand ory. The roo mitigation actions should n cessarily i volve a set of technical s lutions t reduce th potential risk for occupan s combined with some awareness-raising ctivities to alert for risk occupation during la ge periods. Thus, a radon mitigatio strategy is obligatory in order to provide oc up nts´ protection. Abstract The World Health Organization (WHO) considers radon gas as one of the most important agents responsible for lung cancer. Hence, radon people exposure in badly ventilated and extensively occupied rooms increases drastically the risk of health problems. Since new legislation is already in force in Portugal to combat radon risk problems, the discussion of a mitigation strategy to reduce occupants’ radon risk exposure is an issue of big actuality, of greater urgency and of extreme necessity. An administrative building made with granite stonework and founded over granite rocks, located in an inner city of Minho region, North of Portugal, was extensively assessed to characterize indoor radon concentration, air temperature and relative humidity in two office rooms, a ground floor and a top floor room. The ground floor office has numerous occupants during large periods, and the radon risk analysis showed hazard concerning radon gas exposure. The experimental assessment involved the use of short-term measurements of one complete week, over winter and summer seasons. Abstract The World Health Organization (WHO) considers radon gas as one of the most important agents responsible for lung cancer. Hence, radon people exposure in badly ventilated and extensively occupied rooms increases drastically the risk of health problems. Since new legisl is already in fo ce in Portug l t combat radon risk problems, the discu sion f a mitigation * Corresponding author. Tel.: +351 258 809 610; fax: +351 258 829 065. E-mail address: acurado@estg.ipvc.pt * Corresponding author. Tel.: +351 258 809 610; fax: +351 258 829 065. E-mail address: acurado@estg.ipvc.pt