Masonry Magazine September 1961 Page. 18
New Fallout
Shelter Concept
100% Masonry
The Brick and Tile Service, Inc. of North Carolina, an affiliate of Structural Clay Products Institute, has developed a newly-designed fallout shelter which is 100% clay masonry.
It consists of a dome-shaped unreinforced structure which will stand alone and does not require any additional support.
The design relies on the original principal of compression. The weight of the brick themselves afford more than the necessary structural stability to support the entire wall area.
Brick units are utilized at their best in compressive construction since their size and strength will afford outstanding compression loads.
This shelter basically consists of an 8" thick brick arch which spans an exterior distance of 12' and can be any desired length. Depending on the soil stability, the only footings needed at the base of the arch walls are a single
Outstanding
compression loads
of brick ideal
in simple structura
approved by
Civil Defense
course of rowlock headers. The arch is set at an angle of approximately 18 which causes the compressive strength necessary to support the entire weight.
Multi-Purpose Use
This shelter is best utilized as a detached or semi-detached structure as opposed to the conventional basement shelter. It has been approved for construction by Civil Defense for use either above or underground. The design of the shelter makes it useful also as a dark room, children's playhouse, storage room, workshop, and many other uses. Besides fallout protection, the shelter provides refuge from natural disasters such as hurricanes and tornadoes.
The shelter shown here was constructed at Raleigh, N. C., for the State Fair where it attracted an overwhelming audience of men and women who are very conscious of the dangers of radiation fallout in the event of a nuclear attack.
Cooperating in the building of the shelter were: Brick and Tile Service, Inc., which furnished the materials and technical assistance; the North Carolina State Conference of the BAC & PIU, which furnished the men and equipment required; and the OCD, which obtained the space and maintained the shelter during the fair.
William Clayton of Local #10, Durham, N. C., and Claibourne W. Sr., secretary of the North Carolina State Conference, gave valuable assistance and provided invaluable industry cooperation throughout the construction of this display shelter.
New fallout shelter employing unique construction serves as backdrop for three who assisted in constructing and promoting the all-masonry structure: (left to right), William Clayton, construction superintendent, Local #10, Durham, N. C.: William F. Rosser, director of Mason Relations, Structural Clay Products Institute: and Claibourne W. Sr., secretary, N. C. State Conference BAC & PIU.
Simple to Construct
Actual brickwork was done by apprentices under the supervision of Clayton from Durham. The brick were laid over an arch form constructed by Brick and Tile Service, Inc.
All were impressed with the simplicity and ease with which the shelter could be built.
The only materials required consisted of: 7,000 standard brick, 2.4 yards of concrete, 6 yards of sand, 15 bags of cement, 15 bags of lime and 53 lineal feet of #3 rods for end anchors.
Protection against radiation is determined in this type shelter by the weight and thickness of the walls. Since this shelter is built above ground, the amount of protection may be increased by making the walls thicker of brick or covering with earth.
It is suggested that you check with your local Civil Defense Office for their protection requirements in your locality. For detailed plans of this shelter, write: Brick and Tile Service, Inc., P.O. Box 6305, Summit Station, Greensboro, N. C.
Added significance is attached to development of the simple, effective fallout shelter described here through stepped-up efforts of Civil Defense authorities to make the public more conscious of the need for such structures and a recent Federal ruling that new governmental structures in Washington, D.C., be provided with such protection. An advantage of this structure is that it can be utilized as a detached or semi-detached structure, hence can be constructed to serve existing structures with no expensive alterations or remodeling necessary.
MASONRY - SEPTEMBER.