A STUDY OF LOADS ON UNDERGROUND STRUCTURES

In this paper an analytical method is presented for determining the loads on underground structures induced by time-dependent air overpressures of the type resulting from nuclear blasts. The first part is devoted to the development of an analytical method for evaluating the loads produced by static overpressures, and is based on principles set forth as a result of theoretical and experimental work conducted by Marston, Spangler, and associates, (1,2,4,5) at Iowa State University during the period 1908-1952. In this method, the major importance of the method of installation of the structure and the fill material is emphasized, and the effects of the various factors related to construction procedure are taken into account in the development. In the second part, the analysis is extended to include the effects of time-dependent overpressures. The method presented is based on a procedure published in 1960 (3) by engineers at the Illinois Institute of Technology Research Institute, and reflects the principles set forth in the theory of static loads.