Construction of the E-Beam Laboratory
Background: A one-year period was required to prepare the facility and fabricate, test, deliver, and install the e-beam system. The following picture-narrative chronicles the facility preparation and e-beam system installation process, which took place at the National Composite Center from October 1999 through May 2000. (Click on thumbnails to view photos.)
Step 1: It was determined that the existing floor at NCC would not support the weight of the five-foot-thick concrete walls that were designed to shield radiation in the new e-beam facility. Steps 1-3 were taken to provide a secure foundation. The first step involved cutting existing slab floor and excavating to a depth of one foot:
Step 2: Install 14 "augercast" pilings (concrete columns) to a depth of 30 feet (hitting bedrock). This process required special equipment capable of drilling 18"-wide, 30-foot holes. Each hole was drilled in depth increments of five feet (i.e., attach steel auger section to forklift, drill down five feet, leave auger in ground and release from forklift, raise forklift and attach new auger, drill five more feet, etc.). Concrete was poured down the hollow shaft of the 30-foot auger assembly during its retraction. Although the pilings will support the entire slab floor to be installed next, they are located directly underneath where the five-foot-thick concrete walls will come to bear:
Step 3: Install rebar and cast new, one-foot-thick concrete slab:
Step 4: Set up forming walls and cast 71 cubic yards of concrete (seven truck-loads full!):
Step 5: Remove forming walls: concrete walls finished!:
Step 6: Construct concrete beams that will serve as roof, paint beams and walls, and assemble crane. (The crane structure appears slanted or warped due to camera lens distortion.):
Step 7: Lift and position most of the ceiling blocks, leaving a hole in the top for access to the accelerator electronics during installation:
Step 8: Unload and unpack e-beam electronics and control systems, shipped from ESI, Inc. in Sommerville, Massachusetts:
Step 9: Install accelerator head, run cables, and make connections:
Step 10: Install final ceiling blocks, then begin testing e-beam gun:
Final Pictures: (left) Overall layout of facility, including security fence (control area is located on opposite end); (center) John Murphy and Dan Goodman during system operation, April 2000; (right) facility open house, May 2000, (from left to right): Don Klosterman (UDRI), Charles Lee (AFOSR), Janis Brown (AFRL), Richard Chartoff (UDRI).
