Ant Colony Optimization of Multilayer Shielding for Mixed Neutron and Gamma Radiations: A Preliminary Study

Mixed neutron and gamma radiations require different shielding materials as their interaction with materials is different. Composites were developed in order to combine the shielding capabilities of different materials. However, their homogeneity is difficult to be assured which can lead to pinholes where radiation can penetrate. To avoid this problem, several materials arranged in layers can be used to shield against mixed radiations. Since the multilayer shielding can be made from any material in many configurations, the ant colony optimization (ACO) is a promising method because it deals with combinatorial optimization problems. The candidate materials are HDPE, boron, cadmium, gadolinium, tungsten, bismuth, and iron. Preliminary MCNP simulations were done to observe the effect of arrangements, thicknesses, and types of materials on the radiation spectrum. It was found that: (1) the final layer should be made of high density material, (2) an increase beyond certain thicknesses did not result in a significant increase in attenuation, and (3) there should be an optimum combination of material that can effectively shield against both neutrons and gamma rays.