Operation Plumbbob Nevada Test Site May October 1957 Project 302 Response Of Dual Purpose Reinforced Concrete Mass Shelter

Project 30.2 was conducted to test a reinforced-concrete dual-purpose underground parking garage and personnel shelter designed for a long-duration incident pressure of 40 psi. The shelter 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 boring 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. Blast instrumentation consited of Wiancko pressure gauges, Carlson earth-pressure gauges, dynamic-pressure gauges, and a self-recording pressure gauge. Structural response was recorded by Ballistic Research Laboratories deflection gauges. Radiation measurements were taken using film dosimeters, gamma-radiation chemical dosimeters, and one gamma-rate telemetering unit. (Author).