Operation Teapot Nevada Test Site February May 1955 Project 312 Damage To Commercial And Industrial Buildings Exposed To Nuclear Effects

One equipment control building designed to be blast resistant and two each of three standardized types of metal warehouse or utility buildings were exposed to the effects of a nuclear device detonation. One of the utility buildings was frameless, with deeply corrugated wall and roof sections; a second was very largely frameless, using interlocking channel sections; and the third the aluminum-panel wall and roof covering was supported by girts and purlins, which in turn were supported by steel frames. Because of atmospheric conditions at the time of an earlier detonation in the test series, one of each of the three types ot utility buildings was exposed to approximately 0.7 psi overpressure before the planned test. In the planned test, held during the open shot (Apple II), one of each of the three types was exposed to approximately 3.0 psi overpressure and one to 1.3 psi, with the intention of bracketing their overpressure survival range and obtaining data for possible economic redesign for improved blast resistance. The equipment control building used continuous-welded steel frames and reinforced-gypsum curtain-wall construction. The control building was exposed to apporximately 4.1 psi, in the anticipated fringe zone of major structural damage, to determine its protective capabilities. The blast-resistant equipment control building was not structurally damaged by the blast, thus exceeding the expectations of the design. Each of the three utility buildings received severe damage at the near range, one being completely destroyed, whereas at the far range the damage in every case was repairable.