COMPLETELY SELF-CONTAINED PROTECTION FROM

 

·Structural Fiberglass Paraboloid ·Tornadoes and Hurricanes

·MCAS Air Filtration System · Nuclear-Biological-Chemical Accidents

·Toilet, Shower and Septic System · Nuclear-Biological-Chemical Terrorism

·Battery Operated · Power Plant Failures

·Self-Contained- · Forest Fires and Famines

·Communications System · Nuclear Power Plant Accidents

·Lighting

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE SP6 DISASTER SHELTER

The SP6 is a totally self-contained 15 psi fiberglass paraboloid (egg shape) underground disaster shelter designed to protect 6 adults for 14 days or 10 people for short durations such as during tornadoes. The product was specifically designed and developed to protect people during and after disasters such as tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, storms, forest fires, power failures, radioactive iodine gas from a nuclear power plant accident, nuclear , biological, and chemical warfare. The SP6 is classified as an NBC (nuclear-biological-chemical warfare) shelter. A tremendous effort has been made to think of every conceivable incident that shelterists could face in the SP6 shelter. Many geometrical shapes were experimented with before finalizing the SP6. The SP6 includes the structural fiberglass paraboloid, floor, water tank, chemical toilet, air blower, battery box with one battery, light, battery charger, hatch, and tie downs for high water tables. The shelter is equipped with the MCAS (Multiple Chamber Air Sterilization) system to remove radioactive agents, biological agents, and chemical agents. The shelter includes a survey meter, chemical agent detection kit, six 12- volt deep cycle batteries, counter and sink, water filter, 12 volt water system, air inlet and outlet valves with screens, etc.

 

DESIGN

The SP6 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 which is the United State’s bible on shelter engineering. He is the principle engineer of Radius Engineering Inc., with over 29 years experience design­ing “high- tech” disaster shelters. The book is dis­tributed by The American Civil Defense Associa­tion (TACDA) in Draper, UT and is known in the industry as P.O.P. The SP6 was designed using CAD (computer aided drafting), CAE (computer aided engineer­ing), and FEAM (3-dimensional finite element analysis and modeling). The paraboloid shape of the SP6 allows it to be a true pressure vessel for resistance to high external pressure and full height water tables. The SP6 shelter system is based on 19 years field experience with McCarthy’s successful TBC6, ES10 and larger sisters, P6 and P10 fiberglass underground shelters. The hatch at ground level of the SP6 is available in several different levels of threat resistance.

 

SHELTER CONSTRUCTION

The paraboloid shelter and entranceway are made of structural fiber­glass manufactured to underground storage tank standards of Underwriters Laboratory, 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 compound 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 each year like steel 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. All of these facilities function without outside electricity through the use of 12-volt, deep-cycle sealed batteries. The inside surface is easily cleaned with common detergents and is easily repaired.

 

SHELTER FACILITIES

The SP6 contains 475 cubic feet (3,538 gal.) with headroom from 5’8” to 6’8”. This allows for almost normal living and a spacious feeling. The volume of the shelter is greater than the largest “slide in” camper that can be mounted on a full size pick-up truck. There is ample light for reading anywhere in the shelter supplied by a 15-watt fluorescent light located to reflect light into the shelter but out of direct view. Fresh filtered air is brought into the shelter by a 12-volt 40,000-hour air blower designed to operate 24 hours per day for approximately 2.5 days for each battery. The blower supplies many times the breathing volume of air required by adults. This system has the advantage of maintaining constant shelter temperature, constant shelter oxygen levels, constant shelter carbon dioxide levels, and constant shelter mois­ture levels, plus it prevents overheating which is common with manual air blowers in warm cli­mates. Exhausting of hot, moist, spent air is facilitated through the screened air outlet at the highest point in the shelter where it exits the shelter. This is the most efficient geometry for exhausting spent air especially when power consumption is critical. Six 12-volt deep-cycle lead acid batteries are stored in a fiberglass battery box in the bench. The normal loss of battery power is approximately 1.5% per month. A photovoltaic panel (solar panel) can be used to maintain the batteries if desired. A 30-amp controlling battery charger is mounted in the shelter to maintain the battery charge from outside power. A 50-foot battery charg­ing cable can also be connected from the batteries in the shelter to the battery in a car to allow the car alternator to charge the batteries.

 

AIR FILTRATION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.       Contaminated air enters the air intake hole on the elliptical hatch dome. It then travels around under the hatch dome where the air velocity slows allowing rain and heavy particles to fall out.

2.       Contaminated air then travels into the vertical pipe under the hatch dome and past the ball valve.

3.       The contaminated air then travels into the stainless steel micronic washable screen/pre-filter removing more of the heavier particles.

4.       The air then travels into the Gas Agent Test Housing where the air can be tested using the M256A chemical agent test kit. A 4 inch white pipe plug is removed to insert the test kit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

HEPA/Filter Sleeve

5.       The contaminated air then travels into the core of the HEPA/Carbon filter designed to remove 99.99% of particles that are 0.3 u (microns) and larger. This is where the carriers of biological warfare agents are removed. The photo at left shows the HEPA/Carbon sleeve.

6.       The air then travels into the activated carbon layer to remove the radioactive iodine gas.

7.       The next layer is made of Whetlerite/TEDA carbon to remove any chemical warfare agents.

 

Ultraviolet Bulb Over View Port

8.       The air then passes through a filter fabric to remove any carbon fines.

9.       The last stage of filtration after the filter sleeve is the ultraviolet light chamber were viruses and bacteria are exposed to more than 11,000 microwatts seconds/cm2 killing all airborne viruses and bacteria.

10.   The filtered air then enters the air blower centrifugal reverse curve motorized impellar and into the shelter.

11.   As the air blower pumps filtered air into the shelter, the shelter is slightly pressurized. This positive pressure plus the heat generated in the shelter from body heat, cooking, and showering, forces the spent air to the highest point in shelter near the top of the entranceway.

12.   At the top of the entranceway is the air outlet screen where the spent air passes through and up the air pipe and out of the elliptical hatch dome air outlet hole. Some air will pass through and around the hatch cover base because the hatch cover is not intended to be air-tight.

13.   As the air passes around the underside of the hatch dome is equilibrates with the outside air. This results in little or no thermal signature because there is little difference between the spent air and ambient air.

 

 

 

Air Outlet

The spent air containing carbon dioxide, heat, moisture, and odors exits the shelter at the highest point just under the hatch dome. The air outlet housing contains a stainless steel micronic screen to prevent bees and even tiny ants from entering the shelter. The air outlet housing can be closed by inserting a 4 inch diameter plastic pipe plug.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The P10 Owner’s Manual details specific safe procedures for replacing contaminated HEPA filters. Both air inlet and air outlet have shut-off valves and washable stainless micronic screens accessible from inside the shelter.

 

PLUMBING SYSTEM

The water supply system is based on a 12-volt high pressure automatically regulated water pump to maintain system pressure. The pump produces enough pressure to force the water through the 0.3 micron absolute ceramic water filter and supplies approximately 0.5 gallons per minute at the sink faucet and shower head in the bathroom. The fiberglass counter contains a stainless steel sink where dishes and clothes are washed. The sink drains into a 2-gallon gray water tank to supply flushing water to the toilet.

 

Fittings- The shelter entranceway contains two ¾ inch NPTF thru-hull couplings one foot below ground level for bring­ing in antenna lines, a phone line, a power sup­ply, and a 12-volt power cable from a solar panel to recharge the batteries. With the optional communications package there are two additional 1-inch diameter NPTF fittings located in the hatch dome so HAM and Scanner antennas can be installed. Plugs are provided to be in place when antennas are not in place.

 

Toilet- The flush-up toilet is powered by a manual hand pump and uses water from the gray water tank. The sewage is pumped up to the leaching septic tank through an internal hose.

 

Shower- The 12 volt water pressure system supplies water to the spray head which is held by hand while sitting on the toilet. A shower curtain surrounds the toilet which sits in a fiberglass tray to contain the shower water which is transferred to the sink using a plastic cup. Chemical or nuclear decontamination is per­formed in this shower.

 

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The shelter is supplied with a 12 volt DC system with circuit breaker switches with individual indicator lights for air blower, water pump, radios, lights, and a spare.

 

Hatch Cover Lock

The hatch cover is prevented from sliding open by a 12 volt lock controlled by a wireless remote button, like a garage door opener, that can be used when inside the shelter or from outside the shelter. This has the advantage of confusing any intruder trying to break into the shelter since there is no lock that is visible.

 

Hatch Dome

The S.T.A.R.D. (Stealth Terrestrial Attack Resistant Design) 60-inch diameter hatch dome at ground level is aerodynamically smooth. The 24-inch diameter manhole allows very large people with a 75-inch waist to enter the shelter quickly. The hatch dome contains the recessed hatch cover and is designed for severe impact of high speed flying debris. The angle of incidence of the hatch dome is only 20 degrees to 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 30 to 350 mph depending on the hatch class. Some debris, depending on the size, shape, angle of incidence, and mass, may damage the hatch dome. This can be easily repaired with fiberglass repair kits available at marine and automotive supply stores.

 

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 is made of a material called “Combat Composite” which is a structural fire-and bullet-resistant laminate developed by Radius Engineering Inc. The hatch dome for the SP6 is also designed to protect the shelter from a fire reaching 1700^oF for 30 minutes while maintaining its structural integrity in compliance to ASTM E119. This design and material makes the SP6 very stealthy. It produces little or no thermal signature, little or no metallic signature, and little or no radar signature. When the shelter is installed in the ground, 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 350-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.

 

 

 

 

HATCH DOME AND HATCH COVER

The hatch dome and hatch cover are manufactured according to The National Institute of Justice NIJ standards from Class 0 (standard on SP6) 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 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 SP6 is not impenetrable but is difficult to break into while shelterists are inside.

INTRUDER ASSAULT	SP6 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 breathe 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 into the air inlet/out.	The air inlet on the hatch dome is baffled to prevent this type of assault.
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.

Storing survival supplies in a house may be a false sense of security during wartime or major natural disasters. Under the 1978 War Powers Act, the President of the U.S. can order local government officials to use limited force to commandeer necessary supplies such as genera­tors, fuel, food, supplies, etc., from houses record­ed on tax records. Even if the location of the shelter were known, it would require much more than limited force to defeat the SP6.

OVERPRESSURE CHOKING

The SP6 does not use blast valves. Instead, it uses the “overpressure choking” which has no moving parts. The inlet air valve and outlet air valve are sized to prevent excessive pressure from developing inside the shelter. 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 a 3-inch diameter air inlet and outlet within the overpressure duration. The human ear starts to get injured above 20 psi internal pressure.

 

STORAGE AND FLOOR

The floor of the SP6 is made of fiberglass beams and fiberglass floor boards. The entire floor is connected to the shelter hull by 4 adjustable stainless bolts and springs to allow for seismic shock. This allows movement in the floor and also allows the floor to be completely removed to access the hull for repair if firearms are accidentally discharged inside the shelter. There are 31 cubic feet of storage under the floor. This allows enough room to store heavy-duty plastic food storage containers plus other storage space. The food tanks are used to store grain, powdered milk, salt, sugar, beans, TVP, honey, etc. and hold approximately 400 lbs. of food, forming a 2 month food supply for six people. 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. It requires approximately 5 gallons of methanol to boil all the water in the 100-gallon water tank plus all the food in food tanks. A stainless steel fuel tank with a dispensing valve is located on the side of the counter.

 

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 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 shelterists, and the volume of the shelter above the floor. This duration is shown below for adults performing mild work.

 

NBC PACKAGE

The SP6 can provide life support in severe biological and chemical warfare environments with the optional NBC Package. This package contains activated carbon (to remove radioactive iodine gas) which could be accidentally released from nuclear plants. Whetlerite carbon is also used (to remove chemical warfare agents), which is manually loaded into the Chemical Filter Housing. A chemical warfare detection kit and radiation survey meter is part of this package.

 

RADIATION DOSES

The fallout doses expected outside of the shelter during the first and second week following a detonation are shown in the graph to the right. Note the radical decay in radiation doses after the first week.

 

 

 

 

RADIATION SHIELDING

Radiation shielding in the SP6 is provided by earth. The 49 inch earth cover over the shelter ceiling provides 9 Half Value Layer Thicknesses with a Protection Factor of 512 for gamma radiation and a Protection of 1024 for neutron radiation. This means that’s the radiation dose inside the shelter is 1/512^th of the outside dose in rems. The SP6 is designed to operate approximately 2 miles directly downwind of a 1 MT surface burst. The SP6 has a Total Rems In Shelter (TRS) of 37-15. This means that a shelterist will receive 37 rems from all sources for both gamma and neutron radiation from overhead and through the entranceway during the first 30 days when standing in the center of the shelter. If shelterists sit on the shelter bench for one minute immediately after feeling the blast, the dose is lowered by 12 rems of radiation. After 30 days the radiation is very near normal levels. The radiation doses used to design the SP6 are 15,250 rems gamma and 9000 rems neutron. This is a combination of a 1 MT surface burst for fallout and a 500 Kt airburst for entranceway radiation.

The graph on the right shows the daily or acute radiation doses that a person would receive inside the SP6 during the first week following the detonation of a 1 MT surface burst. For example: Inside the SP6 located 10 miles directly down wind of a 1 MT surface burst, a shelterist would receive approximately 13 rems daily during the first week with a reference dose outside of the shelter of 1692 rems/day. These radiation doses include the radiation entering the shelter from overhead and through the entranceway. The radiation dose also assumes that the shelter is in the neutron radiation zone (blast zone) and the shelterists sit on the bench during the first minute after the blast to avoid an additional 12 rems. After the first week, the daily or acute radiation doses are a fraction (3%) of that experienced during the first week. By the fourth week, the radiation dose on the ground is very near normal. Nuclear weapons detonated as a ground or airburst, smaller weapons, hilly terrain, and rain will greatly reduce these radiation doses. Reduce the doses shown above by 8% for a 500 KT weapon, 20% for a 200 KT weapon, 30% for a 100 KT weapon, and 33% for a 50 KT weapon. Terrorist’s nuclear weapons can be expected to be sized at less than 100 KT. (See P.O.P. Appendix A)

 

 

EFFECTS OF ACUTE[1] RADIATON DOSES ON HUMANS

 

0-25 REMS/Day The human body can tolerate a radiation dose in this range without observable effects even in the blood formation and sperm.

 

25-50 REMS/Day This level of radiation dosage produces marginally observable effects on the human body. These effects are found most significantly in the blood and at a level, which the human body can adequately deal with and tolerate. The recipient of this level of exposure will continue to function normally.

 

50-200 REMS/Day In this range of radiation exposure, symptoms such as nausea and vomiting may occur within 1 to 3 hours. These symptoms are also accompanied by malaise (bodily weakness), loss of appetite, and fatigue. Only approximately 5 percent of the people receiving a dose in this range will require medical attention. The most significant, though not obvious effect is in the blood formation system. At the upper end of this dose, the body becomes more taxed in its ability to produce white blood cells (leukocytes); thus, leukemia may result. Without enough white blood cells, the body has a difficult time healing and dealing with infection, which often accompanies radiation injury in the upper range of this dose. Infections, which the human body can normally deal with, may prove fatal under conditions of radiation sickness where no medical help is available.

 

200-450 REMS/Day For this dose, reduction in white blood cells is significant and a change occurs in the platelets, a constituent in the blood largely responsible for blood clotting. Platelet formation declines rapidly after radiation exposure in this range. A normal count of platelets in the blood may not return for several months. With this level of radiation, external injuries would probably prove to be fatal. Half of the people exposed to this level of radiation would die within two to four weeks. The other half would probably survive with medical treatment, if no external injuries are suffered and no secondary infections develop. Above 300 rems, epilation (loss of hair) will begin approximately two weeks after exposure, although this condition is not permanent.

 

450-600 REMS/Day In this range, serious radiation sickness will result. Bodily weakness, loss of appetite, fatigue, vomiting, loss of hair, diarrhea and fever will occur. Death will result in more than 50 percent of the people exposed to this level of radiation within 1 to 3 weeks.

 

600-1,000 REMS/Day At this level, spontaneous internal bleeding will result and the human body will deteriorate. Approximately 90 to 100 percent of the people exposed to this level of radiation will die within two weeks.

 

1,000-5,000 REMS/Day All people exposed to radiation levels in this range will die within 2 to 14 days.

 

5,000+ REMS/Day All people exposed to radiation levels in this range will die within minutes to 2 days.

 

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 and prepared shelterists can avoid such damaging effects and can determine the radiation levels with a simple radiation survey meter.

 

EMERGENCY ESCAPE MANWAY

The Emergency Escape Manway (EEM) allows the manway cover to be unbolted from the inside allow shelterists to dig 2 feet upwards to the surface. Crushed stone must be used to backfill around the EEM if the shelter is installed in cold climates where the ground freezes. The Emergency Escape Manway has the following advantages: 1) The shelter can be egressed quickly requiring very little work or heavy lifting. Unbolting the EEM cover and using a small shovel (supplied) to dig two feet to the surface usually requires approximately 20 minutes. 2) If a heavy object, such as a car, comes to rest on top of the hatch dome, the shelterist has the ability to dig upwards and sideways to get around the object. 3) After an emergency exit, the EEM cover can be re-bolted and backfill material can be taken up to the surface using a 5-gallon bucket and rope and re-backfilled over the EEM. Customers have reported that re-bolting and re-backfilling has taken approximately 2 hours. 4) Regardless of the weight and placement of the objects(s) that comes to rest on top of the hatch dome, the EEM is not damaged. Earlier systems of emergency escape using hydraulic and screw jacks were very dependent on symmetrical loading and often damaged the hatch cover and/or hatch so it could not be used again

 

SHIPPING AND INSTALLATION

 

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. Shelters are shipped by a special Radius Engineering truck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EXCAVATION

The customer hires a contractor to dig a hole with a bottom dimension of 13 feet x 13 feet at a depth of 11 feet 4 inches. A three-inch layer of crushed stone is spread in the center of the floor of the hole. The top of the hole should be larger to allow for sloped walls. The excavation usually requires approximately 4 hours. A 24,000 pound excavator or larger should be used to dig the hole and lift the SP6 off of the delivery truck and into the hole. If the shelter is installed in a flood zone, the shelter should be installed by berming so the hatch is one foot above the 100-year flood plain or 2 feet above storm tide surge. Berming can also be used if the shelter is installed in a location which has ledge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SHELTER INSTALLATION (summary)

1.       An excavator uses a chain to connect to the lifting eye on the top center of the shelter and lift the shelter off the truck and into the hole.

2.       The shelter is leveled at the proper height at the bottom of the hole by shoveling crushed stone under the bottom of the shelter until it is stable.

3.       The fiberglass gravity domes and cables are placed around the top of the shelter.

4.       The shelter is then backfilled with 40 yards of ¾ minus crushed stone or pea stone. If sand is used, it must be compacted with a “Jumping Jack”. After this stage, the surrounding soil can be used for backfill and must be compact­ed evenly around the shelter.

5.       When the backfill height reaches the shelter septic tank, 1/2 cubic yard of crushed stone or pea stone for the leaching field should be placed around the septic tank.

6.       When the backfilling reaches 12 inches below ground level, the power line from the battery charger in the shelter is connected through the watertight cable connections in the shelter to the local power supply.

7.       Backfill­ing continues to the original ground level. Back­filling usually requires approximately 6 hours.

 

HOME BUILT SHELTERS VS. COMMERCIAL SHELTERS

Advantages of purchasing a commercial underground shelter:

1) With shelters built on site, cost overruns are the rule, not the exception. Many well-intended handymen and contractors have constructed shelters which ended up running well over budget and still did not produce an operable shelter. When a shelter is built on site, you really don’t know what you will end up with. The SP6 shelter allows people to deal with known costs and a proven shelter system. 2) Shelters built on site require extensive, time consum­ing, and expensive research to develop a “shelter sys­tem” capable of providing dependable life support—fresh filtered air, blast protection, clean water, light, corrosion resistance, toilet facilities, air filtration for radioactive fallout, chemical and biological agents, etc., all of which should meet - PRINCI­PLES of PROTECTION, U.S. Handbook of NBC Weapon Fundamentals and Shelter Design Stand­ards 2002, by Walton McCarthy, is available for $60.00 from The American Civil Defense Association, (TACDA) Starke, FL (800-425-5397). Even good architects or mechanical and civil engineers, do not have the expertise to develop a good dependable shelter system especially when it must function without local electricity. The SP6 shelter system is based on the ES10 and P10 shelter, which has over 15 years proven field experience and complies with all P.O.P. standards. 3) Concrete shelters built on site are not able to be excavated and re-installed at another location and they are very hard to make waterproof, especially under the floor. The shortcomings of steel underground storage tanks are: a) They may require registration because its intended use is for storage of petroleum and/or chemi­cal products. b) A horizontal cylinder is a poor struc­tural shape because it behaves as flexible conduit. c) It must also be cathodically protected or fiberglass coated. d) Steel underground structures suffer from condensation on the inside walls. The SP6 is designed strictly as a shelter and can be excavated and re-installed at some other location if desired. 4) Shelters built on site require a building permit and confirmation by a local professional engineer because it involves actual construction, including a septic design. The SP6 is a commercially available, professionally engineered disaster shelter with a formal Owner’s Manual reviewing all operations. If required, it is much easier to secure a building permit for installing the SP6 shelter than it is for constructing a shelter on site. 5) Shelters built on site often require many days or weeks to complete construction. During this time, children are exposed to the danger of falling in the hole and curiosity seekers are afforded ample time to see what is being constructed. The SP6 can be installed in one day. 6) Shelters built on site have no established market value. The SP6 has a known commercial value which allows financing by banking institutions. 7) Large shelters built on site to protect many people present the following problems: a) A separate piece of land must be agreed on by the shelterists and pur­chased. This piece of land may have to be commercially zoned. Local land may not be available; also, a caretaker may have to be appointed. b) A professional engineer and architect must be consulted for the design. c) A commercial building and septic permit must be issued. Even a single-family shelter is difficult to con­struct unnoticed. This is rather difficult to obtain because the building code requirements do not apply to under­ground structures designed for disaster environments. The technology for modern shelters is very different than that of standard building structures. d) Under­ground and above-ground storage tanks designed to contain fuel and water must be registered and approved by local and federal environmental protection agencies (EPA). e) Notification to the local fire department of the exact location of all fuel tanks must be made. f) Financ­ing such a structure by a local bank is impossible be­cause it has no resale value due to its custom nature. g) To make matters more complicated, the applications for all the above permits are a matter of public record. The only solution in the United States is to install a commercially available single or dual family shelter.

 

WARRANTY

Radius Engineering Inc. Warranties that the fiberglass parts of the SP6 Disaster Shelter will not leak, corrode, or structurally fail for a period of 10 years provided that 1) the shelter is not exposed to excessive overpressure 2) The structural parts of the shelter are not modified 3) The shelter is inspected, off-loaded, assembled, backfilled and installed in accordance with the company’s installation instructions. The warranty does not apply to the parts and equipment that Radius Engineering Inc. does not manufacture. These items are covered by the individual manufacturers. Radius Engineering Inc. is continuously improving its product and therefore reserves the right to change any specification without notice. Our liability under this warranty shall be limited to, at our option, repair of the shelter, or delivery of a replacement shelter to the point of original delivery, or refund of the original purchase pri