Angular distribution of cosmic-ray muons at sea level has been investigated using the Geant4 simulation package. The model used in the simulations was tested by comparing the simulation results with the measurements made using the Berkeley Lab cosmic ray detector. Primary particles’ energy and fluxes were obtained from the experimental measurements. Simulations were run at each zenith angle starting from $\theta = 0^{\circ}$ up to $\theta = 70^{\circ}$ with $5^{\circ}$ increment. The angular distribution of muons at sea level has been estimated to be in the form $I(\theta) = I(0^{\circ}) \cos^{n}(\theta)$, where $I(0^{\circ})$ is the muon intensity at 0° and 𝑛 is a function of the muon momentum. The exponent $n = 1.95 \pm 0.08$ for muons with energies above 1 GeV is in good agreement, within error, with the values reported in the literature.

Gamma and fast neutron shielding performances of some borate-based glasses, recently synthesized by other researchers, in the form 39H$_3$BO$_3$ + 30PbO+20MO+10Bi$_2$O$_3$+1Dy$_2$O$_3$ (with M=Ca, Sr, Ba, Na$_2$ and K$_2$) have been investigated. The gamma shielding ability of the glasses with doped heavy metals was studied for photons with 20, 30, 40, 60, 100, 200, 284, and 511 keV energies by exploiting the mass attenuation coefficients, half-value layers, mean free paths and effective atomic numbers. It was concluded that the glass with SrO has abetter shielding performance at 20 and 30 keV. For photons with energies above 30 keV, up to 511 keV, the glass having BaO is superior in terms of gamma shielding ability. Furthermore, the glass containing SrO was shown to have the best performance against fast neutrons among the glasses under investigation.