Blast tests of expedient shelters in the DICE THROW event
To determine the worst blast environments that eight types of expedient shelters can withstand, we subjected a total of 18 shelters to the 1-kiloton blast effects of Defense Nuclear Agency's DICE THROW main event. These expedient shelters included two Russian and two Chinese types. The best shelter tested was a Small-Pole Shelter that had a box-like room of Russian design with ORNL-designed expedient blast entries and blast doors added. It was undamaged at the 53-psi peak overpressure range; the pressure rise inside was only 1.5 psi. An unmodified Russian Pole-Covered Trench Shelter was badly damaged at 6.8 psi. A Chinese ''Man'' Shelter, which skillfully uses very small poles to attain protective earth arching, survived 20 psi, undamaged. Two types of expedient shelters built of materials found in and around most American homes gave good protection at overpressures up to about 6 psi. Rug-Covered Trench Shelters were proved unsatisfactory. Water storage pits lined with ordinary plastic trash bags were proven practical at up to 53 psi, as were triangular expedient blast doors made of poles.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab., Tenn. (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-26
- OSTI ID:
- 5109892
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL-5347
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Blast tests of expedient shelters in the Misers Bluff event. Final report, February 1978-January 1980
Expedient shelter construction and occupancy experiments
Related Subjects
420600 -- Engineering-- Safety Engineering-- (-1987)
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
450202 -- Explosions & Explosives-- Nuclear-- Weaponry-- (-1989)
560171 -- Radiation Effects-- Nuclide Kinetics & Toxicology-- Man-- (-1987)
570000* -- Health & Safety
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
BLAST EFFECTS
ENGINEERING
EXPLOSIONS
FALLOUT
FALLOUT SHELTERS
FIRES
HAZARDS
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
SAFETY ENGINEERING
SHELTERS