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Title: Noise and vibration investigations of the Sandia National Laboratories Sol se Mete Aerial Cable Facility

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10103679· OSTI ID:10103679
; ; ; ;  [1]
  1. New Mexico State Univ., Las Cruces, NM (United States). Physical Science Lab.

This document is an assessment of the noise, vibration, and overpressure effects and fragmentation hazards of the operation of the Sandia National Laboratories Sol de Mete Aerial Cable Facility (ACF). Major noise sources associated with project operations and considered in this report include rocket motors, chemical explosions, 3-inch gun, 20-mm gun, vehicular traffic, and engines of electricity generators. In addition, construction equipment noise is considered. Noise exposure of ACF personnel is expressed as the equivalent sound level for the 8-hour work day, and is computed by scaling to the proper distance and combining the appropriate noise values for continuously operating equipment such as vehicles and generators. Explosions and gun firings are impulsive events, and overpressures are predicted and expressed as decibel (dB) at the control building, at other nearby facilities, at Sol se Mete. The conclusion reached in the noise analysis is that continuously operating equipment would not produce a serious noise hazard except in the immediate vicinity of the electricity generators and heavy equipment where hearing protection devices should be used. Rocket motors, guns, and detonations of less than 54 kilograms (kg) (120 lb) of explosives would not produce noise levels above the threshold for individual protection at the control building, other nearby test areas, or Sol se Mete Spring. Rare tests involving explosive weights between 54 and 454 kg (120 and 1,000 lb) could produce impulsive noise levels above 140 dB that would require evacuation or other provision for individual hearing protection at the ACF control building and at certain nearby facilities not associated with ACF. Other blast effects including overpressure, ground vibration, and fragmentation produce hazard radii that generally are small than the corresponding noise hazard radius, which is defined as the distance at which the predicted noise level drops to 140 dB.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); New Mexico State Univ., Las Cruces, NM (United States). Physical Science Lab.
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-94AL85000
OSTI ID:
10103679
Report Number(s):
SAND-93-7095; ON: DE95003760; BR: GB0103012; TRN: AHC29502%%137
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: Nov 1994
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English