Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is developing seismic and wind hazard models for the US Department of Energy (DOE). The work is part of a three-phase effort to establish building design criteria developed with a uniform methodology for seismic and wind hazards at the various DOE sites throughout the United States. In Phase 1, LLNL gathered information on the sites and their critical facilities, including nuclear reactors, fuel-reprocessing plants, high-level waste storage and treatment facilities, and special nuclear material facilities. Phase 2 - development of seismic and wind hazard models - is discussed in this paper, which summarizes the methodologies used by seismic and extreme-wind experts and gives sample hazard curves for the first sites to be modeled. These hazard models express the annual probability that the site will experience an earthquake (or windspeed) greater than some specified magnitude. In the final phase, the DOE will use the hazards models and LLNL-recommended uniform design criteria to evaluate critical facilities. The methodology presented in this paper also was used for a related LLNL study - involving the seismic assessment of six commercial plutonium fabrication plants licensed by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Details and results of this reassessment are documented …

Many studies have been made by and for the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) to ensure the seismic safety of its Plutonium Facility (Building 332). These studies have included seismological and geologic field investigations to define the actual seismic hazard existing at the Laboratory site as well as structural studies of the Facility itself. Because the basic seismic design criteria has undergone changes over the years, numerous structural studies and upgrades have been completed. The seismic criteria in use at the LLNL site is reviewed on a continuing basis as new information on the seismicity and geology of the Livermore Valley is obtained. At present, the Laboratory's Earth Sciences Division is conducting a multi-million dollar program to identify and characterize the geologic hazards at the Livermore site, with the primary emphasis on earthquake hazards in the Livermore Valley. This effort is undergoing an independent review by Woodward-Clyde Associates. Additionally, because of increased concerns over the seismic safety of Building 332, the Laboratory has initiated an independent structural review. This review effort will be monitored by the California Seismic Safety Commission to ensure its independence. Both of these studiies are in their early stages and results are not yet available.

Preliminary data on the thermal propertes of a course-grained rock salt from Avery Island, Louisiana, indicate that hydrostatic pressure to 50 MPa has little effect on the thermal conductivity, diffusivity and linear expansion at temperatures from 300 to 573 K. The measurements were made in a new apparatus under conditions of true hydrostatic loading. At room temperature and effective confining pressure increasing from 10 to 50 MPa, thermal conductivity and diffusivity are constant at roughly 7 W/mK and 3.6 x 10/sup -6/m/sup 2//s, respectively. At 50 MPa and temperature increasing from 300 to 573 K, both conductivity and diffusivity drop by a factor of 2. Thermal linear expansion at 0 MPa matches that at 50 MPa, increasing from roughly 4.2 x 10/sup -5//K at 300 K to 5.5 x 10/sup -5//K at 573 K. The lack of a pressure effect on all three properties is confirmed by previous work. Simple models of microcracking suggest that among common geological materials the lack of pressure dependence is unique to rock salt.

A new technique of quantitative track counting, the Buffon needle method, is advanced. It is based on random sampling of the solid state track recorder (SSTR) surface. This new method extends quantitative track scanning to track densities well up into the track pile-up regime. It is shown that the Buffon needle method possesses a reduced dependence upon both track density nonuniformity and track size distribution. Sources of experimental error arising in the Buffon needle method are assessed. The validity of the Buffon needle method is demonstrated down to at least the 10% uncertainty level (1sigma) by manual sampling of high fission track density mica SSTR observed with scanning electron microscopy.

The new flash x-ray machine (FXR) at LLNL is scheduled for completion in late 1981. This is a 54 module, linear induction accelerator, designed to deliver 500 Roentgen at 1 m as bremsstrahlung from a 20 MeV, 4 kA, 60 ns pulsed electron beam. The 1.5 MV, cold cathode injector makes use of six accelerator modules as voltage sources. High voltage testing of the accelerator modules and their associated pulse forming lines and Marx banks has been completed, and beam tests of the complete injector assembly are in progress. Design information and preliminary test results are presented.

On January 24, 1980, California's Livermore Valley was rocked by a moderate earthquake that caused some damage to the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). The earthquake, which measured 5.5 on the Richter scale and was centered about 20 km (12 mi) northwest of the Laboratory, produced estimated peak horizontal ground acceleration at LLNL of between 0.15 and 0.3 g. The earthquake was part of a sequence that included two sharp aftershocks (magnitudes 5.2 and 4.2) within 1.5 minutes of the initial event. A second earthquake (magnitude 5.8) struck on January 26, and several lesser earthquakes occurred during the next few weeks. This paper describes the damage impact of the January 24 earthquake, including: background information on LLNL, discussion of pre-earthquake seismic safety philosophy, and description of the impact of the January 24 earthquake, including a description of the seismic setting of the Laboratory, a discussion of the ground motion, and a summary of damage. This paper also describes a data gathering and reduction effort at LLNL in the aftermath of the January earthquakes.

The use of fiber optics in the diagnosis of hostile nuclear environments has brought about a pressing need for the development of suitable radiation-to-light converters. These converters must meet stringent diagnostic requirements of linearity and time response while having a wavelength of emission that is compatible with transmission over relatively long lengths of optical fibers. Initial investigations of two, near-infrared-emitting semiconducting materials - CdTe and GaAs are described. Data are presented on the wavelength of emission, linearity, time response, and relative efficiency of these semiconductors. Most data were taken at 77 K because of a dramatic increase in efficiency at this temperature. Measurments show that the intensity-vs-dose curves are linear over several decades of useful input levels. Measurements indicate that GaAs has an efficiency and time response that promise to be useful in diagnostic systems.

A desensitized etching technique has been developed which has resulted in an excellent differential energy response for alpha particles in the energy range 3 to 14 MeV. This response complements the previously reported differential proton and integral alpha energy responses obtained with different etching techniques. Proton recoil track yields and diameter distributions have been measured for CR-39 polymer solid state track recorders which were exposed to monoenergetic neutron sources in the energy range 0.57 to 15.1 MeV using various thicknesses and types of proton radiator materials.

This report contains the text and slide reproductions of a speech on nuclear waste disposal in basalt. The presentation addresses the layout of repository access shafts and subsurface facilities resulting from the conceptual design of a nuclear repository in basalt. The constructibility issues that must be resolved prior to construction are described. (DMC)

Infrared emission in the range 2 to 5.5 ..mu..m has been used to measure temperatures in shock-compressed states of nitromethane, cyclohexane and benzene and in polycrystalline KBr. Polymethylmethacrylate shows anomolous emission probably associated with some heterogeneity.

Fifteen papers and abstracts are included. Separate abstracts were prepared for six papers and nine abstracts were listed by title.