COMPLETELY SELF-CONTAINED-Long Term PROTECTION FROM

 

·Structural Fiberglass Double Elliptical Arch ·Tornadoes and Superstorms

·Air Filtration System ·Nuclear Weapons

·Toilet, Shower and Septic System ·Chemical Weapons/Accidents

·Diesel Generator/Tank ·Nuclear Power Plant Accidents

·Decontamination ·Nuclear/Chemical Terrorism

·Communications System ·Power Plant Failures

·Lighting ·Forest Fires and Famines

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FLOOR PLAN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE EC 32-40 DISASTER SHELTER

The EC 32-40 is a totally self-contained 15 psi elliptical arch condominium disaster shelter designed to protect up to 25 adults for long periods or 50 people for short durations such as during tornadoes. The arches must be assembled on site by local contractors. The product was specifically designed and developed to protect people during and after disasters such as tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, storms, forest fires, power failures, nuclear power plant accidents, nuclear/chemical terrorism, and full-scale protracted nuclear, chemical and biological war. A tremendous effort has been made to think of every conceivable incident that shelterists could face in all types of disasters. Many geometrical shapes were experimented with before finalizing the EC 32-40. The EC 32-40 includes the fiberglass arches, entranceway, emergency escape, life support system, MCAS air filtration, a 2500 gallon fiberglass leaching septic tank, one 1000 gallon elliptical fiberglass diesel fuel tank, one 11 KW prime power slow speed diesel generator, water filtration system, plans, etc. With the EC 32-40’s “state of the art” technology and long-term self-contained independence, it qualifies as a T.H.E.T.A. (Total Human Environment for Terrestrial Attach) underground shelter.

 

DESIGN

The EC 32-40 is a third generation disaster shelter designed and developed by Walton W. McCarthy, M.E., author of PRINCIPLES of PROTECTION, U.S. Handbook of NBC Weapon Fundamentals and Shelter Engineering Standards, Fifth Edition, 2002, 489 pp. The American Civil Defense Association, Draper, UT which is the United State’s bible on shelter engineering and known in the industry as P.O.P. He is the principle engineer of RADIUS ENGINEERING INC., with over 29 years experience design­ing “high- tech” disaster shelters. The EC 32-40 was designed using CAD (computer aided drafting), CAE (computer aided engineer­ing), and FEAM (3-dimensional finite element analysis and modeling). A shelterist in the EC 32-40 under heavy, direct effects from two 1-MT nuclear weapons, has at least the same probability of survival (99.7%) as a person living and working in peace­time. The shape of the EC 32-40 allows it to be a true pressure vessel for resistance to high external pressure. The EC 32-40 shelter system is based on 20 years field experience with McCarthy’s successful P6, and P10 fiberglass underground shelters.

 

THE CONDO SHELTER CONCEPT

 

The “Condo Shelter” concept has some strong advantages over small survival shelters. 1) Shelterists can live in a normal housing environment that they are accustomed to. 2) Shelterists can enter the shelter by walking down a stairwell so they don’t have to enter the shelter like a submarine and climb down a ladder. 3) Shelterists are not alone during a disaster. 5) There is enough “extra room” to deal with uninvited friends and relatives during a disaster.

 

POWER SUPPLY

The EC 32-40 is equipped with a 11 kW slow speed prime power diesel generator connected to a 1000 gallon fiberglass fuel tank. This size tank will allow the generator to operate at 50% capacity continuously for approximately 2777 hrs (115 days). Electrical usage (40 kw per day) is based on the breathing air blower operating 24 hrs/day, generator blower operating when the generator is on, and ample amounts of time for lights, TV, water pump, sump pump, dishwasher, washer and dryer, refrigerator, water heater, stove dehumidifier, etc. The generator will consume 25 cfm of room air at 100% power for combustion. The generator room is cooled by a 1000 cfm blower that forces fresh filtered air from the room across the generator and up to the top of the shelter where the heat exits the shelter through the air outlet manifolds in the ceiling. The generator room blower will keep the generator room temperature at not more than 10 deg. F. above ambient room air temperature. The exhaust of the generator has a dedicated high temperature exhaust manifold in the shelter ceiling. The batteries used to start the generator create small amounts of hydrogen gas when they are being charged when the generator is one. Hydrogen gas is the lightest gas known and rises to the top of the shelter where it exits the shelter through the air outlet manifolds along with the heat. During peace time, the generator automatically starts up and runs for 30 minutes every 30 days.

 

ENTRANCEWAY and EMERGENCY ESCAPE

The EC 32-40 has a 4 ft x 7 ft elliptical fiberglass entranceway with a 24 inch wide stairwell and seismic joint at the connection to the end wall. On the upper part of the entranceway is an emergency escape manway. If the hatch becomes blocked, the manway cover is removed from the inside allowing the backfill gravel to fall into the tunnel so the shelterists can crawl 3 feet to the surface. If the shelter is located in ground subject to frost, the area around this tunnel end should be backfilled with crushed stone. This method of emergency escape allows the manway cover to be re-bolted and the earth to be picked up from the entranceway and re-deposited back in place. This method is also advantageous for people who do not have a lot of physical upper body strength.

 

SHELTER CONSTRUCTION

The shelter and entranceway are made of structural fiber­glass manufactured to the American Society of Testing and Materials, and shelter engineering standards of PRINCIPLES of PRO­TECTION. Fiberglass was chosen as the optimum material because of its extremely high resiliency and corrosion resistance plus its ability to be shaped into a compoundly curved structure. The 15 psi (pounds per square inch) external pressure resistance, with no earth arching, is constant over 100 years and does not have to be de-rated like steel each passing year due to corrosion. Fiberglass also forms a complete vapor barrier which provides a dry atmosphere when placed below ground, and it has proven to be sound in the underground storage tank industries. In addition, one of the greatest characteristics of fiberglass is its ability to “remain intact” if overstressed. The inside of the shelter is smooth, curved, and white to create maximum brightness with minimal light. The inside surface of the fiberglass arches are easily cleaned with common detergents and is easily repaired.

 

 

LEACHING SEPTIC TANK

The EC 32-40 is equipped with a high pressure 2500 gallon ellipsoid underground structural fiberglass leaching septic tank. The septic tank, with 1500 useful gallons below the leach holes all around the tank, has a duration of more than one year per family. It is easily pumped out with a manual septic pump from the ground surface by removing the septic tank access plug. Conventional concrete box septic tanks have flat walls and are therefore not able to withstand the external pressure that the EC 32-40 is designed for. The fiberglass ellipsoid septic tank has all compound curved surfaces to withstand external pressure. It can be installed below the water table with its gravity domes. The earth over the gravity domes creates more gravity force than the hydrostatic force (buoyancy) of the empty septic tank.

 

 

SHELTER FACILITIES

The EC 32-40 contains 1024 ft² and 14,985 ft³. Ceiling height ranges from 6 feet high to 13’ – 3”. This allows for normal living and a very spacious feeling. Fresh air enters the shelter by a high pressure reverse curve centrifugal blower delivering 300 cfm 24 hours per day. The fresh air is distributed in the shelter through conventional ducting. This supplies many times the breathing volume of air required by adults resulting in a complete air change every 50 minutes. This system has the advantage of maintaining negative pressure in the air filtration system and positive pressure inside the shelter. This results in constant shelter temperature, constant shelter oxygen levels, constant shelter carbon dioxide levels, and constant shelter mois­ture levels, plus it prevents overheating in warm cli­mates. Exhausting of hot, moist, spent air is facilitated through the 5 air outlet manifolds in the shelter ceiling. This is the most efficient geometry for exhausting spent air and resisting intruder assaults.

 

AIR FILTRATION

The air is purified through the MCAS air filtra­tion system. This Multiple Chamber Air Filtration System is designed to filter air in severe nuclear-biological-chemical environments. See MCAS The EC 32-40 Owner’s Manual details specific safe procedures for replacing contaminated filter sleeves. Both air inlet and air outlet manifolds have seismic joints and stainless screens accessible from inside the shelter. The EC 32-40 Owner’s Manual details specific safe procedures for replacing contaminated HEPA and carbon filters. Both air inlet and air outlet manifolds have seismic joints and stainless screens accessible from inside the shelter.

 

EXERCISE ROOM

 

Exercise equipment can be placed in any room and it is strongly recommended that equipment include resistance and aerobics training.

 

FOOD STORAGE

There are three methods of food storage. 1) The conventional method of storing food in common cans can be used but the nutritional value is only good for about year. This requires changing all the canned food each year. 2) Dehydrated or freeze dried food can be used which has a life span of about 5 years. This also has the disadvantage of not being familiar food. 3) 5 gallon plastic food tanks can be used to store grain, powdered milk, salt, sugar, beans, TVP (textured vegetable protein), honey, etc. Each food storage tank holds approximately 20-50 lbs. of food. The material and thickness of these food tanks allows the much preferred carbon dioxide packing of food as opposed to the nitrogen packing of food. Food packed with carbon dioxide can be stored for over 20 years.

 

 

HATCH DOME

The S.T.A.R.D. (Stealth Terrestrial Attack Resistant Design) hatch dome at ground level is aerodynamically smooth. The opening accepts large people and some conventional furniture. The hatch dome contains the hatch cover and is designed for severe impact of high speed flying debris. The angle of incidence of the hatch dome is only 10 degrees (2.1 inch rise per foot) to match the berm angle and allow flying debris to glance off. The hatch dome and hatch cover are designed to resist a non-shattering 3-inch diameter hail ball falling straight down at terminal velocity (87 mph) and impacting directly at a full 90-degree angle of incidence. The hatch dome is also designed to resist a non-shattering 3-inch diameter hail ball traveling horizontally at 150 mph. In addition, the hatch dome can resist a solid 2 x 4 wooden stud impacting the hatch dome like a battering ram or javelin at 350 mph. Some debris, depending on the size, shape, angle of incidence, and mass, may cosmetically damage the hatch dome. This can be easily repaired with fiberglass repair kits available at marine and automotive supply stores.

 

Hurricane Scale Simpson		Cat 1	Cat 2	Cat 3	Cat 4	Cat 5
Wind speed (mph)		74-95	96-110	111-130	131-155	155+
Storm Surge- Ft above normal		4-5	6-8	9-12	13-18	18+

Tornado F-Scale	F0	F1	F2	F3	F4	F5
Windspeed (mph)	40-72	73-112	113-157	158-206	207-260	261-318

 

 

The hatch dome and cover can be camouflaged in many ways including simple 2 x 8 weathered boards. The hatch dome is made of a material called “Combat Composite^TM” which is a structural fire-and bullet-resistant laminate developed by Radius Engineering Inc. The hatch dome is also designed to protect the shelter from a fire reaching 1700^oF for one hour while maintaining its structural integrity in compliance to ASTM E119. This design and material makes the EC 32-40 hatch is very stealthy. It produces little or no thermal signature, no metallic signature, and no radar signature. When the shelter is installed, all that can be seen is the dark army-green hatch dome at ground level. This makes it almost impossible to be detected by modern target acquisition equipment. It is designed to resist 300-mph winds and more than 8.5 on the Richter Scale. Although the hatch dome is not impenetrable, it is specifically de­signed to resist seven basic assaults from people trying to break into the shelter in compliance to P.O.P. Offensive measures toward intruders are reviewed in the EC-32-40 Owner’s Manual.

HATCH LOCK

The hatch slides open and closed hydraulically powered by a 12 volt hydraulic power unit located under the floor of the shelter. The hatch slides and locks wherever it stops. The remote radio controlled transmitter has a button to slide the hatch closed and open. When inside the shelter, the hatch can be closed by standing on the floor and activating the transmitter. This allows entry without human power to move the 250 lb hatch cover. The hatch cover is recessed in the hatch dome and protected from flying debris for 320 degrees. The hatch cover is designed to resist 5300 lbs. of uplifting force caused by the negative pressure of a tornado or explosion and 42,080 lbs of overpressure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The hatch dome and hatch cover are manufactured according to The National Institute of Justice NIJ standards from Class 0 (standard on EC 32-40) up to Class IV to resist penetration by various threats. The material and thickness vary as the threat level increases. The classes listed below are based on resisting 90% of all of the bullet types at various velocities listed known as (V-90). The barrel length, feet per second (fps) or meters per second (mps) for the test are noted.

NIJ Threat Level	Hatch Material (V-90)	Threat/Bullet Type	Barrel Length (inches)	fps	mps
Class 0	Structural Fiberglass-self-extinguishing (standard)	Light Hammer and hatchet assaults, 3 in. dia. Hail @ 87-mph vertical, 150-mph horizontal 2 x 4 stud @ 30-mph	NA	NA	NA
Class I	Combat Composite self-extinguishing	.22 Cal. 40 Gr. LR .25 Cal Auto 71 Gr. FMJ .32 Cal. Auto 71 Gr. FMJ .380 Cal. Auto 88 Gr. JHP .38 Cal Special Lead 158 Gr. RN .38 Cal Special 158 Gr. SWC 2 x 4 stud @ 70-mph	6 2 4 4 6 6 --	1050 810 905 990 850 850	320 247 276 302 259 259
Class II	Combat Composite self-extinguishing	.41 Mag. 210 Gr. JSP .44 Mag. 240 Gr. JSP .44 Mag. 240 Gr. Lead SWC .357 Mag. 125 Gr. JHP .357 Mag. 110 Gr. JHP .357 Mag. 158 Gr. JSP .357 Mag. 158 Gr. Hornady 19mm 175 Gr. Silvertip 9mm 124 Gr. FMJ 9mm 115 Gr. Silvertip 2 x4 stud @ 100-mph	4 4 4 4 4 6 6 5 5 5 --	1300 1180 1200 1450 1550 1395 1445 1225 1175 1170	397 360 366 442 473 425 441 372 358 355
Class III	Combat Composite self-extinguishing	7.62 NATO Ball 150 Gr. M-80 steel Jack 7.62 NATO Ball 150 Gr. m-80 FMJ 30.06 PSP 180 Gr. .30 Carbine 110 Gr. FMJ 12-Gauge Rifled Slug .223 (5.56mm) 55 Gr. FMC 7.62 x 39 Ball 2 x4 stud @ 200-mph	28 28 24 18 18 20 22 22 22 --	2750 2750 2750 1950 1550 3075 2400	838 838 824 595 473 938 732
Class IV	Combat Composite self-extinguishing	30.06 A.P. M-2 7.62 mm NATO A.P. 308 Win SS 109 FN NATO .223 (5.56mm) 7.62 x 39 Russian/Chinese A.P.I. 2 x4 stud @ 350-mph	26 24 20 22 --	2850 2750 3090 2550	868 838 942 778

 

 

 

SHELTER DEFENSE

 

The EC 32-40 is not impenetrable but is difficult to break into while shelterists are inside.

 

INTRUDER ASSAULT	EC 32-40 RESISTANCE
1.       Intruder trying to break into hatch using sledgehammer, hatchets, and guns.	Class 0 Hatch resists light hammer and hatchet assaults Class I -IV Hatch resists all assaults
2.       Intruder trying to clog the air intake/outlet to suffocate the shelterists thus forcing them outside.	Shelterists can open up hatch and reach over to unclog air intake or wait in safety in the shelter for many hours in sealed shelter atmosphere while the intruder is exposed to the outside danger.
3.       Intruder trying to suffocate shelterists by creating fire on top of the hatch thus forcing the shelterists outside.	All classes of the hatch are resistant to fire and the shelterists can breath normally inside the shelter based on sealed shelter atmosphere.
4.       An intruder trying to run over the shelter or hatch with an automobile or truck.	If this vehicle becomes a threat, the Emergency Escape Manway can be used.
5.       An intruder trying to drown shelterists by forcing water or gasoline into the air inlet/outlet manifolds.	The air inlet and outlet manifolds are baffled to prevent this type of assault. The fluid simply drains into the ground.
6.       An intruder trying to attach rope onto the hatch or air manifolds to damage or pull out of ground.	The hatch dome is a smooth design with no projections to easily attach to.
7.      An intruder using a cutting torch to cut the hatch open.	The hatch is impervious to a cutting torch.
All attacks above	Release of tear gas through hatch. Details are available only to actual customers.

 

 

SEISMIC JOINT

The entranceway is connected to the shelter concrete wall using a fiberglass seismic joint. The entranceway is subject to ground shock and frost heave and responds to these forces differently than the shelter. A triple axis seismic joint is therefore employed to allow the entranceway free and independent movement from the main shelter in three directions plus translation. The entranceway is located within the frost line, while the shelter is well below the frost line. This creates tremendous stresses during winter months when the entranceway is forced up 0.5 - 1.25 inches due to frozen ground. The seismic joint removes these stresses by allowing movement of the entranceway while maintaining structural integrity and water tightness during ground movement and ground shock.

 

 

SEALED SHELTER ATMOSPHERE

 

When ground fires are present around the hatch, the air blower should not be turned on to bring in fresh air. During this time, the shelterists must breathe in a sealed shelter atmosphere. The safe duration time is based on a 3% carbon dioxide (CO₂) limit. The time it takes for the shelter atmosphere to reach this limit is a function of the number of shelterists, degree of physical activity of the number of shelterists, and the volume of the shelter above the floor. This duration is shown above for adults performing mild work.

OVERPRESSURE CHOKING

The EC 32-40 does not use blast valves. Instead, it uses the “overpressure choking” which has no moving parts. The inlet air pipe and outlet air pipe are sized to prevent excessive pressure from developing inside the shelter during a nuclear blast. This is a combination of what is known as the Ideal Gas Law combined with Bernoulli's Law. These two theories combined, state that two volumes of air (outside air volume and shelter air volume) with differing pressure will reach equilibrium or "equilibrate" over a period of time. This period of time depends on the level of overpressure, volume of the shelter, diameter and length of the air inlet and outlet pipe, resistance of air filter, and duration of the overpressure which is very short and constantly decreasing. Simply stated; the air inlet and outlet are sized so that there is not enough time for the two volumes of air to equilibrate. The outside pressure at maximum duration is simply not able to equilibrate through sixteen 6-inch diameter air outlet manifolds, two air inlet manifolds, and two generator exhaust manifolds within the overpressure duration time.

 

 

 

 

PLUMBING SYSTEM

 

The EC 32-40 uses a conventional plumbing system with toilets, sinks, shower, and septic system. The sewage and all gray water is pumped up to the leaching septic tanks by electrical high pressure pumps.

 

Fittings- Two 1-inch diameter NPTF fittings are located in the hatch dome so CB and Scanner antennas can be installed from inside the shelter. Plugs are provided to be in place when antennas are not in place.

 

 

RADIATION SHIELDING

Radiation shielding from overhead in the EC 32-40 is provided by a minimum of 6 feet of earth at the crown of the shelter ceil­ing. With a TRS (Total Rems in Shelter) of 1-15,(1 rem @ 15 psi) a person would receive a maximum acute radiation dose from overhead and through the entranceway for neutron and gamma radiation equivalent to a mammography x-ray. This dose is based on a 500 KT air burst nuclear weapon, which produces a higher neutron radiation dose than the larger MT weapons, plus fallout doses from a 1 MT surface burst nuclear weapon to maximize the fallout gamma radiation dose.

 

Based on the worst cancer cases (leukemia) from the Hiroshima and Nagasaki victims, a 10-rem dose may increase the cancer rates from the cur­rent rate of 352/100,000 up to 355/100,000. It should be kept in mind that the Hiroshima victims were totally unprepared and uneducated. They were malnourished and already suffering from many diseases during a critical wartime period where food, medical supplies, and other necessi­ties were in short supply. In addition, they were not only exposed to heavy, acute external radia­tion

doses but also internal radiation doses from eating contaminated food and inhaling radioactive fallout. Educated shelterists can avoid such damaging effects and can determine the radiation levels with a simple radiation survey meter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hydrostatic Pressure

When the shelter is installed at the design depth of 18’-10”, the hydrostatic pressure (buoyancy) will reach 187,013 pounds per arch if the water table rises to the ground surface. This hydrostatic force is resisted by earth above the water line and earth below the water line. The earth berm above the water line will develop 161,280 pounds of gravity per arch. The earth below the water line will develop 106,680 pounds of gravity per arch. The total gravity forces of 267,960 pounds exceed the total hydrostatic force by 1.43 making the shelter stable in high water table area. Each end wall dome adds 93 ft2 to the floor plan and generates 38,681 lbs hydrostatics pressure and the earth over this dome provides 121,520 lbs of gravity.

 

WATER TIGHTNESS

The base of the EC 32-40 is located 18’-10” below ground level. This results in 8+ psi of water pressure at the base of the shelter. To insure that the shelter remains dry, a perforated pipe is installed all around the perimeter of the footing which is connected to a sump pump in a sump well located at the base of the entranceway. When water in the sump rises, the sump pumps automatically pump any water up to the surface away from the shelter.

 

COMMUNICATIONS

The COM Center allows communications from various sources. The scanner allows scanning of frequencies for AM, FM, police, highway patrol, aircraft, search and rescue, weather, fire, business bands, etc. The CB radio allows local communications. The HAM radio allows direct communications for local and very long distance, the video monitor allows views of the shelter exterior, the gages report inside temperature, outside temperature, humidity, and time.

 

INSTALLATION AND SHIPPING

U.S. citizens have a legal right to install a shelter. Under the second amendment of the United States Constitution, U.S. citizens are guaranteed the right to bear arms to provide protection in life threaten­ing situations. Tornadoes, earthquakes, nuclear, biological, and chemical warfare fall under this amendment as life threatening forces. A disaster shelter falls under this classification as a defensive arm. It will require 2 flatbed tractor trailer loads to deliver the arches, entranceway, and septic tank to the job site. Each arch weights 8,000 lbs.

 

EXCAVATION

A contractor is hired to dig a hole with a base dimension of approximately 43 ft wide x 50 ft x 18’- 10” deep (1,513 yd³). The top dimension should be at least 8 feet wider all around. At this depth, the shelter with 6 feet of earth over the shelter crown will result in the shelter berm being 4 ft. above ground level. The excavation will require approximately 2 days. A 64,000 pound excavator or larger should be used to dig the hole.

 

A crane or excavator is used to lift the EC 32-40 arches off of the truck and onto the slab for assembly. If the shelter is located in a flood zone, the shelter should be installed by berming at a height above ground so the hatch is at least one foot above the 100-year flood plain or storm surge. Berming can also be used if the shelter is installed in a location which has ledge.

 

 

 

 

SHELTER ASSEMBLY (summary)

 

1.       A local surveyor inspects the shelter site and determines the 100 year flood plain or storm surge. It is this level that will ultimately determine the depth of the hole. The surveyor marks the corners of the hole and the location of the septic tank.

2.       Temporary fencing is installed all around the perimeter of the site to prevent children or animals from falling into the hole.

3.       An excavator is used to dig the hole 40 ft x 50 ft x 18’- 10” deep (1,407 yd³) with a truck ramp. This will require the excavator to load into a dump truck to move the spoil away and out of the hole.<