Big Science Business Forum 2026 BSBF2026, taking place on 27–30 October in Maastricht, the Netherlands!
PrīmX® Concrete Technology at Big Science Business Forum 2026: Research on Concrete Barriers Against Radon and Tritiated Water
Engineering Insight
Concrete is usually specified for strength and durability. In nuclear and research facilities it also has to contain things. Radon gas and tritiated water do not care about compressive strength. They move through the pore network of the concrete and through every crack and joint in it.
Where we will be
Primekss will take part in the Big Science Business Forum 2026 (BSBF2026), held 27–30 October in Maastricht, the Netherlands. BSBF brings together the organizations that build and operate Europe’s large research infrastructure, and the companies that supply them. You will find us on the Nordic-Baltic stand.
What we will present
PrīmX® is our patented steel fiber reinforced self-stressing concrete technology. It is used for jointless, high-performance floors and structures in demanding industrial environments. At BSBF2026 we will present new research findings on how concrete limits the transport of two radioactive substances:
- Radon gas transport. We investigated how far engineered concrete can limit the penetration of radon gas.
- Tritiated water transport. We evaluated how concrete resists the penetration and migration of water that contains radioactive tritium. Tritium is a hydrogen isotope, so it travels as part of the water molecule and follows the same paths water does.
Why this matters for facility design
In a massive slab or wall, the main leak paths are rarely the intact concrete matrix. They are shrinkage cracks, joints and the interfaces between pours. A material that controls shrinkage and removes joints addresses the path itself. This is the engineering reasoning behind our work on containment: fewer cracks and fewer joints mean fewer routes for gas and water to travel.
For owners and designers of research facilities, the practical value is a floor or foundation that carries structural loads and also acts as a barrier layer, with performance supported by test data. The full findings will be presented at the forum.
Meet the team
We look forward to talking with researchers, engineers, technology developers and representatives of Europe’s leading scientific organizations about containment requirements and where concrete can contribute.
Participation is supported by the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA).
Event website: www.bsbf2026.org
