Design of a Large Door for an Explosion-Containment Structure
Abstract
The facility addressed in this paper was built during the 1980's to provide for destructive testing of various types of munitions. These types of munitions include: large caliber, kinetic energy (KE) projectiles of up to 155 mm; advance chemical energy ammunitions; self-forging fragment (SFF) munitions; and reactive armors (RA). The principal structures at the facility are a Target Room and a Range Tunnel (See Figure 1). The Range Tunnel is a 340 feet long reinforced concrete box type structure, 20 feet wide by 16 feet tall. The purpose of the &el is to enclose the trajectory of test projectiles between launch and entry into the Target Room. It was designed to remain within the dynamic elastic range when subjected to a muzzle blast loading. The Target Room, located at the down-range end of the Range Tunnel, is the place of projectile impact. Any one of several types of targets can be located within the room during test firing. The Target Room structure is a vertical truncated cone fabricated from ASTM A572, Grade 60, steel plate. Above this cone is a hemispherical dome, fabricated from ASTM A516 Grade 70, steel plate. The reinforced concrete floor of the Target Room is protected by a cover of armor plate. See Figure 2 for a cross sectional view through the Target Room. The inside diameter of the conical section at Boor level is 59 feet. The clear height inside the Target Room is 29'-6". A three-foot diameter opening in the shell wall adjacent to the Range Tunnel provides far the shot line access. A 14 feet wide by 18 feet high opening was provided in the steel shell for transfer of targets in and out of the room. The original closure for this opening consisted of a horizontally-rolling steel, manually operated door. This original door is now in the process of being replaced, and its replacement is the subject of this paper.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 20, 1992
- Accession Number
- ADA524157
Entities
People
- David A. Parkes
- Harold D. Laverentz
Organizations
- United States Department of Defense