A+E Design Services for U.S. Navy N-Ray Testing Facility

The mission of the Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Division (NSWC IHD) is to research, develop, test, evaluate, and produce energetic systems for the warfighter. To further the mission and expand its capabilities, NSWC IHD needed a facility to house new technologies, including neutron radiography (N-ray) capabilities, data acquisition systems, X-ray and computed tomography (CT) detectors, and general test support equipment. This posed a unique challenge due to explosives safety and radiation safety hazards associated with this type of research.

ERG, working in collaboration with U.S. Navy personnel and stakeholders, provided complete A+E design services for this prototype facility, from inception to construction. During the first phase of this project, ERG’s A+E Design Services Team developed a concept design to document and finalize functional goals and detailed project needs. This study included prototype facility requirements (such as facility size and configuration), a conceptual plan for the primary building, and a detailed construction cost estimate and associated economic analysis. The design also detailed mitigation strategies to address the explosives and radiation safety hazards that included thick concrete walls around the radiation areas, radiation safety lights and signs, door interlocks, a fenced outside area, and a separate control room for remote operations. After U.S. Navy approval of the concept design, ERG developed a design-bid-build (D-B-B) package for the new facility in accordance with all relevant requirements from FC 1-300-09N, including repairs to the nearby magazine used for storing materials associated with the N-ray operations. Our team prepared versions of the D-B-B package for submittal at the 35 percent, 65 percent, and 100 percent pre-final and final design phases. Following each submission, ERG participated in design meetings with stakeholders. In addition, ERG provided:

• Explosives safety support to prepare a siting rationale that documented explosives safety criteria and assumptions.
• National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) categorical exclusion (CATEX) associated with the use of non-destructive evaluation (NDE) equipment.
• Facilities planning support to develop a Basic Facilities Requirement and DD Form 1391 package outlining project requirements and justification.
• Radiation safety support to perform engineering analyses and support design submittals to the Radiological Affairs Support Office.
• Preliminary hazard analysis evaluating proposed facility design, siting, equipment, proposed operations, radiation safety, grounding, fire protection requirements, explosives safety, support systems, and physical security.

In addition, ERG worked with the Navy to identify additional NDE technologies to complement the prototype N-Ray facility. Examples include computed tomography (CT), accelerator-based N-Ray, digital imagery, digital X-ray and N-ray detectors and imaging technologies, thermal radiography, Data Acquisition systems, and general test equipment.