DEVELOPMENT OF A RESIDUAL IN-SITU STRESS GAUGE

QUANTITATIVE VERIFICATION OF THE RESIDUAL IN-SITU STRESS FIELD WHICH CREATES THE CONTAINMENT CAGE IS NEEDED TO ASSESS THE FACTOR OF SAFETY AGAINST HYDRAULIC FRACTURING FROM THE CAVITY WALL. PHASE I WILL ESTABLISH THE FEASIBLITY OF DEVELOPING A PASSIVE STRESS GAUGE, ABSENT OF ACTIVE INSTRUMENTATION, AND CAPABLE OF RECORDING THE RESIDUAL IN-SITU STRESS FIELD IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE NUCLEAR DEVICE DETONATION FOR A DURATION OF A FEW MINUTES. THE GAUGE COMPONENTS WILL BE FABRICATED AND EXTENSIVELY TESTED UNDER SIMULATED TEST CONDITIONS. THE GAUGE WILL THEN BE ASSEMBLED AND VERIFIED AS A WHOLE UNDER SIMULATED TEST CONDITIONS. THIS WILL LAY THE BASIS FOR A PHASE II EFFORT WHICH WOULD CONSIST OF BUILDING SEVERAL GAUGES FOR DEPLOYMENT IN A NUCLEAR TEST AT THE NEVADA TEST SITE.