EFFECTS OF AN ATOMIC EXPLOSION ON UNDERGROUND AND BASEMENT TYPES OF HOME SHELTERS

Technical Report · Thu Oct 01 04:00:00 EST 1953

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4700965· OSTI ID:4700965

Byrnes, J. B.

Underground earth-covered shelters were exposed G to a 16.4-kt, 300-ft tower shot at ranges of 1230 ft (one), 1450 ft (one), 1860 ft (five), and 3506 ft (one). Two types of basement shelters were constructed in each of the test houses at 3500 and 7500 ft. Instrumentation was by gammaradiation badges, paraffin cubes, and nylon swatches. Attempts were made to measure permanent deflections of concrete roof slabs. Mannequins were placed in several shelters for purposes of demonstration and observation of blast-caused movement. A weighted mannequin in the underground shelter at 1230 it was broken in half; an unweighted one (child size) was thrown to the floor. All other mannequins remained in place, undamaged. Paraffin cubes and nylon swntches showed no evidence of thermal damage. Fallout conditions made it impossible to determine initial gamma-radiation quantities. There was no cracking or permanent deflection of the concrete roof slabs. Except for a wood-covered, trench type shelter, which partially failed because of faulty construction, the shelters showed no blast damage. Thermal energy entering the shelters probably would not have caused skin burns to human occupants. Adequacy of the shelters under full design loads could not be determined because pressures were lower than expected, but the shelter designs were structurally acceptable under test pressures received. (auth)

• Research Organization: Federal Civil Defense Administration, Washington, D.C.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-17-029880
• OSTI ID: 4700965
• Report Number(s): WT-801
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

AMIDES
BUILDINGS
CONCRETES
FAILURES
FALLOUT
GAMMA RADIATION
GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
INSTRUMENTS
MOTION
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
NYLON
PARAFFIN
PERSONNEL
PLANNING
PLATES
POLYMERS
PRESSURE
RADIATION INJURIES
SHELTERS
SKIN
TEMPERATURE
UNDERGROUND EXPLOSIONS
WOOD