- Author
-
Lari, P.
- Title
- Piercing Tool, Transportation Accident Resistant Container (TARC).
- Coporate
- Sandia National Labs., Livermore, CA
- Report
-
SAND94-8245; UC-706
August 1994
37 p.
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Keywords
-
transportation
|
nuclear weapons
|
fire protection
|
fire fighting
- Identifiers
- Transportation Accident Resistant Containers (TARC)s; redwood; impact mitigation
- Abstract
- Transportation Accident Resistant Containers (TARC)s are used for enhanced safety during movement of nuclear weapons. Its design features a tough stainless steel outer skin, redwood for impact mitigation and fire protection and a rugged aluminum inner container. Redwood absorbs impact energy by crushing, similar to the way foam crushes in other containers. Redwood also functions to insulate the weapon from heat and fire. When a TARC id involved in a fire, the redwood will slowly burn forming a good insulating char. The redwood can continue to smolder once the fire is out. To ensure the smolder is extinguished, water can be directed into any accident caused hole in the skin. If no hole exists, it may be necessary to create one. This document discusses tool selection, testing, and a simple but effective method of creating an access hole in the outer skin large enough to apply fire fighting techniques.