PRELIMINARY DESIGN STUDIES IN A NUCLEAR EXCAVATION - PROJECT CARRYALL

A PRELIMINARY FEASIBILITY STUDY WAS CONDUCTED BY THE CALIFORNIA STATE DIVISION OF HIGHWAYS AND THE SANTA FE RAILWAY COMPANY OF POTENTIAL USES OF NUCLEAR EXPLOSIVES IN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS FOR HIGHWAYS AND RAILROADS. THE STUDY WAS CONCERNED WITH DETERMINING THE FEASIBILITY OF EXCAVATING A CUT THROUGH THE BRISTOL MOUNTAINS NEAR AMBOY, CALIFORNIA, USING NUCLEAR EXPLOSIVES. THE PROPOSED RAILROAD ROUTE REQUIRED THE CONSTRUCTION OF A TWO MILE TUNNEL. THE PROPOSED CUT WOULD MORE OR LESS FOLLOW THE TUNNEL ALIGNMENT AND BE ABOUT 11,000 FEET LONG, WITH A MAXIMUM DEPTH OF ABOUT 350 FEET. CUTS HAVING DEPTHS OF LESS THAN 100 FEET WOULD BE EXCAVATED BY CONVENTIONAL METHODS FOR TECHNOLOGICAL AND ECONOMIC REASONS. GEOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE AREA INDICATES THAT THE MEDIUM CONSISTS OF SOFT VOLCANIC ROCK UNDERLAIN BY META-GRANITE BEDROCK. USING CRATERING PARAMETERS FOR HARD ROCK, A TOTAL OF 22 NUCLEAR EXPLOSIVES RANGING IN YIELD FROM 20 TO 200 KILOTONS WOULD BE REQUIRED TO MAKE THE EXCAVATION. EXTENSIVE ON-SITE STUDIES ARE NECESSARY RELATED PRIMARILY TO SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS, INCLUDING DRILL HOLES, SEISMIC SURVEYS, HYDROLOGY INVESTIGATIONS, POPULATION SURVEYS, AND WEATHER SURVEYS.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/hrr/1964/50/50-003.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Fry, J G
  • Stane, R A
  • Crutchfield Jr, W H
• Publication Date: 1964

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 32-39
• Monograph Title: Nuclear Excavation 1963
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Record
  • Issue Number: 50
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bedrock; Boreholes; Construction; Cratering; Excavations; Explosives; Feasibility analysis; Granite; Hydrology; Nuclear explosions; Population; Railroads; Road construction; Rocks; Safety; Seismicity; Surveys; Tunnels; Volcanic deposits; Weather
• Uncontrolled Terms: Seismic investigations
• Geographic Terms: California
• Old TRIS Terms: Project carryall
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Construction; Geotechnology; Highways; Hydraulics and Hydrology; Materials; Railroads; Safety and Human Factors; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00215790
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jan 9 1994 12:00AM