A Review - Gravel Gertie Full Scale Tests
Abstract
The Gravel Gertie was designed as a space in which to perform what is generally conceded to be the most hazardous operation in the assembly of a nuclear explosive, the mating of the High Explosive (HE) and fissile material in the primary of the weapon. The target of the design was to have a space which, in case of an accidental explosion of the HE, would withstand the blast and gas pressure loads from the explosion, relieve the pressure produced by the explosion, and inhibit the release of particulate matter to the atmosphere. The history of the design of the Gravel Gertie is somewhat murky, but it seems to have been developed in 1956 by the Pantex Operating Contractor, Mason and Hanger-Silas Mason Co., Inc. It is not known who the smart guy was that named the facility for a character in the Dick Tracy cartoons but as you will see, the name is well taken. The heart of the Gravel Gertie is a round room with floors and wall sturdy enough to withstand the various loads that will be impressed on them and covered with a thick gravel roof suspended on a network of bridge cables. Staging areas are connected to the round room in all the Gravel Gerties constructed up to the present. Figure 1 is a plan of a DAF Gravel Gertie with its associated staging areas, service rooms and entrance airlocks.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA518541
Entities
People
- Donald G. Rose
- Mohaen Sharirli
Organizations
- Los Alamos National Laboratory