Soil density and mass attenuation coefficients for use in shielding calculations at the Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant

Compacted, backfilled soil excavated during construction may be used to provide shielding from gamma radiation at the Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant (HWVP). To provide a reasonable estimate of the shielding offered by this backfilled soil, the bulk density and the composition of the emplaced soil must be specified. This study provides an estimate of the bulk density and the mass attenuation coefficients of soil used for calculating gamma-ray shielding attenuation at the HWVP. These estimates are based on measurements taken from soil samples and underlying rock samples at the Hanford Site.