Abstract:

A PRELIMINARY FEASIBILITY STUDY WAS CONDUCTED BY THE CALIFORNIA STATE DIVISION OF HIGHWAYS AND THE SANTA FE RAILWAY COMPANY OF POTENTIAL USES OF NUCLEAR EXPLOSIVES IN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS FOR HIGHWAYS AND RAILROADS. THE STUDY WAS CONCERNED WITH DETERMINING THE FEASIBILITY OF EXCAVATING A CUT THROUGH THE BRISTOL MOUNTAINS NEAR AMBOY, CALIFORNIA, USING NUCLEAR EXPLOSIVES. THE PROPOSED RAILROAD ROUTE REQUIRED THE CONSTRUCTION OF A TWO MILE TUNNEL. THE PROPOSED CUT WOULD MORE OR LESS FOLLOW THE TUNNEL ALIGNMENT AND BE ABOUT 11,000 FEET LONG, WITH A MAXIMUM DEPTH OF ABOUT 350 FEET. CUTS HAVING DEPTHS OF LESS THAN 100 FEET WOULD BE EXCAVATED BY CONVENTIONAL METHODS FOR TECHNOLOGICAL AND ECONOMIC REASONS. GEOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE AREA INDICATES THAT THE MEDIUM CONSISTS OF SOFT VOLCANIC ROCK UNDERLAIN BY META-GRANITE BEDROCK. USING CRATERING PARAMETERS FOR HARD ROCK, A TOTAL OF 22 NUCLEAR EXPLOSIVES RANGING IN YIELD FROM 20 TO 200 KILOTONS WOULD BE REQUIRED TO MAKE THE EXCAVATION. EXTENSIVE ON-SITE STUDIES ARE NECESSARY RELATED PRIMARILY TO SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS, INCLUDING DRILL HOLES, SEISMIC SURVEYS, HYDROLOGY INVESTIGATIONS, POPULATION SURVEYS, AND WEATHER SURVEYS.