ShelterFactor knowledge base
When to Shelter
Sheltering is a time-dependent protective action. The correct response depends on the release, the exposure pathway, the building and official instructions.
Start with official instructions
During a real radiological emergency, follow instructions from the competent authorities. ShelterFactor explains the engineering behind residential protection; it does not replace emergency instructions.
What sheltering can reduce
A building can reduce exposure by limiting the entry of airborne radioactive material and by placing mass and distance between occupants and external radiation sources. These are different mechanisms and should be evaluated separately.
Three questions
- Is the dominant concern airborne contamination?
- Is external gamma radiation important?
- How long must the protected environment remain usable?
This leads to three useful engineering quantities: PFair, PFฮณ and Tautonomy.