Response of Dual-Purpose Reinforced-Concrete Mass Shelter (open access)

Response of Dual-Purpose Reinforced-Concrete Mass Shelter

BS>A reinforced-concrete dual-purpose underground parking garage and personnel sheiter designed for a long-duration incident pressure of 40 psi was tested. The sheiter was exposed to shot Priscilla, an approximately 37-kt 700-ft balloon burst (June 24, 1957), at a ground range of 1600 ft (predicted 35-psi peak incident-pressure level). The recorded peak incident pressure at the shelter was approximately 39 psi. Postshot soil borings were made to obtain undisturbed samples for determining soil characteristics. Preshot and postshot field surveys were made to determine the total lateral and vertical displacement of the structure. The test structure provided adequate protection from the effects of the test device at the test GZ distance. Despite failure of the door sealing gasket, a rise in pressure in the interior did not exceed 1.0 psi. The flat-slab roof and supporting structure were more than adequate to resist the 39psi peak incident test loading. (P.C.H.)
Date: April 1, 1961
Creator: Cohen, E.; Laing, E. & Bottenhofer, A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Evaluation of Buried Conduits as Personnel Shelters (open access)

Evaluation of Buried Conduits as Personnel Shelters

Supersedes ITR-1421. Twelve large-diameter buried conduit sections of various shapes were tested in the 60- to l49-psi overpressure region of Burst Priscilla to make an empirical determination of the degree of personnel protection afforded by commercially available steel and concrete conduits at depths of burial of 5, 7.5, and 10 feet below grade. Essentially, it was desired to assure that Repartment of Defense Class I, 100psi and comparable radiations, and Class II, 50-psi and comparable radiations, protection is afforded by use of such conduits of various configurations. Measurements were made of free-field overpressure at the ground surface above the structure; pressure inside the structures; acceleration of each structure; deflection of each structure; dust inside each structure; fragmentary missiles inside the concrete structures; and gamma and neutron radiation dose inside each structure. All buried conduit sections tested provided adequate Class I protection for the conditions under which the conduits were tested. Standard 8-foot concrete sewer pipe withstood 126-psi overpressure without significant damage, minor tension cracks observed; standard 10-gage corrugated-steel 8-foot circular conduit sections withstood 126- psi overpressure without significant damage; and standard 10-gage corrugated- steel cattle-pass conduits withstood 149-psi overpressure without significant damage. Durations of positive pressure were from 206 to …
Date: July 14, 1960
Creator: Albright, G. H.; LeDoux, J. C. & Mitchell, R. A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Distribution, Characteristics, and Biotic Availability of Fallout, Operation Plumbbob. (open access)

Distribution, Characteristics, and Biotic Availability of Fallout, Operation Plumbbob.

None
Date: October 31, 1968
Creator: Larson, K.H.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Missile Studies With a Biological Target (open access)

Missile Studies With a Biological Target

Fourteen dogs located on the lee side of planted gravel, of a concrete- block wall, and of glass mounted in the open and in houses were exposed to the environmental variations associated with full-scale nuclear detonations. Aluminum foil was used to protect the animals from thermal effects. The missile environment was monitored through the use of quantitutive missile-trapping techniques. Pressure-time variations in the environment were also recorded. Biologic damage from overpressure and missiles was determined, and the associations between physical envtronmental factors and biologic response were noted and analyzed. The feasibility of utilizing ninssile data, along with other available information from the literature, as a means of quantitutively assesing biologic hazard was estublished by the close correspondence between observed and predicted dangerous wounds. This test provided full-scale validation of procedures and experimsnts worked out chiefly in the laboratory. (auth)
Date: April 1, 1960
Creator: Goldizen, V. C.; Richmond, D. R.; Chiffelle, T. L.; Bowen, I. G. & White, C. S.
System: The UNT Digital Library