Reinforcing basement walls, radiation shelter

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rolnor

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I have 4tons of concrete blocks. I want a shielding factor around 0.025 for my basement walls so I am doing some brick-laying. I will do extra-bricks in front of the window.
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are you going to block off those windows permanently? - or just have the blocking ready to use at the last minute? - I have air exchange tubes that will use an existing basement window - close up and bury the window after installation ....

even with the extra blocking to the foundation - I'd have empty sandbags in stock and prepare to add earthworks to that exposed foundation - concentrate first on the probable side that could receive the worst fallout ....
 
50 BMG armor piercing rounds can penetrate 9" of solid concrete. Those are probably 8" wide and 16" long. So between that and your original wall, you will be 50 BMG proof!
Now if you laid them perpendicular to the wall, you'd have 16" of concrete outside your original wall. I have no idea what it takes to penetrate that!
But yeah, you'll have some HEAVY duty shielding!
 
are you going to block off those windows permanently? - or just have the blocking ready to use at the last minute? - I have air exchange tubes that will use an existing basement window - close up and bury the window after installation ....

even with the extra blocking to the foundation - I'd have empty sandbags in stock and prepare to add earthworks to that exposed foundation - concentrate first on the probable side that could receive the worst fallout ....
Thanx for the feedback. I was thinking to do something with sand infront of the windows, I could make it so I could use them as an emergency exit, removing the sand in some way and climb out. But I am not sure, I want to get this done quickly and if I have 30cm concrete I am happy. I will cover this with plastic so its tight against the wall, I dont want fallout to get in between the blocks or the wall. Its nice with the spring/summer weather now so I enjoy laying some bricks. I will do one wall inside the basement to and two more partiall walls outside.
 
Thanx for the feedback. I was thinking to do something with sand infront of the windows, I could make it so I could use them as an emergency exit, removing the sand in some way and climb out. But I am not sure, I want to get this done quickly and if I have 30cm concrete I am happy. I will cover this with plastic so its tight against the wall, I dont want fallout to get in between the blocks or the wall. Its nice with the spring/summer weather now so I enjoy laying some bricks. I will do one wall inside the basement to and two more partiall walls outside.

I wouldn't be relying on that old window & casing to hold against any "leaning" pressure - an update with some glass block with reinforcing would be an 'Everyday" SHTF advantage ....

if you didn't care about the natural light - I'd think about closing it with masonry bricking and leaving only an observation/shooting port ....
 
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I wouldn't be relying on that old window & casing to hold against any "leaning" pressure - an update with some glass block with reinforcing would be an 'Everyday" SHTF advantage ....

if you didn't care about the natural light - I'd think about closing it with masonry bricking and leaving only an observation/shooting port ....
Agree. I will put some board between the window and the blocks. Its not easy with light/visability, I think a periscope could be used, you can bye military periscopes on ebay. But a small port, yes, good idea. You will have a beam of radiation from this port but you dont need to look out really, just see if its night or day outside.
 
I think sandbags would be better all around because the fallout on the roof will come down right next to those bricks (unless you have gutters) concentrating it by the bricks where water might then pull the radioactive particles between the gaps in the brick.
 
I think sandbags would be better all around because the fallout on the roof will come down right next to those bricks (unless you have gutters) concentrating it by the bricks where water might then pull the radioactive particles between the gaps in the brick.
I get your point, I will cover the brick-wall with plastic of some heavy-duty sort and this will also extend a little out from the wall. The plastic will also be fastened tight to the wall. Sand is less dense than concrete so you need a very thick wall to get good shielding.
 
Thanx for the feedback. I was thinking to do something with sand infront of the windows, I could make it so I could use them as an emergency exit, removing the sand in some way and climb out. But I am not sure, I want to get this done quickly and if I have 30cm concrete I am happy. I will cover this with plastic so its tight against the wall, I dont want fallout to get in between the blocks or the wall. Its nice with the spring/summer weather now so I enjoy laying some bricks. I will do one wall inside the basement to and two more partiall walls outside.
WE have a shelter here, the walls are made of 12 in concrete blocks filled with concrete and steel with 26 in of dirt and another row of concrete blocks filled with concrete and steel, The roof consists of 18 X20 beams, 3in T&G lumber, 18 in concrete and 1 in steel laces 6in OC and 26 in of dirt on top!!!
 
And thats why you have the title God Like! Great, I would be happy with that kind of shielding…
 
lost in the whole discussion is the fact that any basement wall reinforcing is also for conventional SHTF - normal cinder block basement construction won't stop bullet penetration - continual high-velocity fire will break it down ....

prepping your basement for long term SHTF living actually has much higher probability for other SHTFs than for any nuke related situation ....
 
lost in the whole discussion is the fact that any basement wall reinforcing is also for conventional SHTF - normal cinder block basement construction won't stop bullet penetration - continual high-velocity fire will break it down ....

I wouldn't consider it "normal cinder block...."

the walls are made of 12 in concrete blocks filled with concrete and steel with 26 in of dirt and another row of concrete blocks filled with concrete and steel,
 

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