Advice on an Underground Bunker

So a couple of us in our area are getting together to create an underground bunker of sorts. We don't have much money to put towards it, but we do have an indefinite amount of manpower and mountain stone at our disposal, not to mention a backhoe that we have access to use.

I suppose what I am asking is, has anyone ventured to make their own underground bunker and if so, how did you go about it?

Any tips for a bunch of guys creating this from scratch?

Any information or tips would be greatly appreciated and helpful to the cause. I know the situation isn't that difficult if you get some experienced contractors involved but sadly that will not be an option for us.

Thanks ahead of time.

While I don't have much advice for you, I just wanted to say goodluck! It's people like you who will survive if something terrible happened to our country or world. Don't forget to store some of our culture in your bunker! Like books, movies, music, etc. Gotta have that when the world dives into chaos.

Some links I found you may find of use..

www.instructables.com...
www.ehow.com...
blog.2012pro.com...


And If I send you something of mine, can you hide it in your bunker for me?

[edit on 26-1-2010 by Jibblin]

reply to post by gwydionblack


Yes, buy an old missile silo and fix it up.
Missile Base

Get a shipping container and bury it. You can find them pretty cheap around some of the port cities. They are self contained, waterproof; and, will withstand the weight of the dirt you throw around it.

reply to post by gwydionblack

Any tips for a bunch of guys creating this from scratch?

More specific questions would be helpful.

Beyond digging a hole in the ground, you're going to want a concrete foundation, walls and a way to get in and out.

For walls, if you want simple, use steel storm drain culvert, and fill the bottom of the culvert with concrete to create a flat walkway. Or, as ogbert suggested, steel shipping containers are sturdy, fairly large and cheaper than you might expect. Don't forget to consider shipping costs. If you're more interested in enjoying the construction process, consider looking into concrete and/or cinder blocks. If you build the walls of concrete you'll need to build or acquire forms. Laying brick may be easier. Use of rebar for reinforcement is highly recommended, since you don't want tons of concrete collapsing on top of you when the first earthquake hits.

What is this for? Are you concerned about radioactive fallout and expect to remain inside for days at a time? Then ventilation may be an issue. Or is this a "for fun" project and are you more concerned about running electricity so you can have things like lights and refridgeration while you hang out?

We don't have much money to put towards it, but we do have an
indefinite amount of manpower and mountain stone at our disposal

That's all well and good for digging the hole, but rammed earth isn't really suitable for underground construction, so you're going to need some sort of material to build the walls. Even with unlimited manpower building a relatively small shelter, you can easily spend a few thousand dollars on concrete, bricks, rebar and tools alone. At roughly 8x9x45 feet, the steel shipping container linked above will probably be much cheaper and easier than building everything yourself.

If you have specific questions, I'm sure we can help, but if you're simply looking for general guides, google will probably provide you with everything you need to know.


[edit on 27-1-2010 by LordBucket]

Explanation: St*r for LordBucket!

Get your foundations right 1st.

Don't cut any corners with your infrastructure EVER!

Do some geological ground work and get some idea on the local sesmic activity etc so you don't build on top of a faultline etc.

Also don't build on flood plains etc. Drainage and sewerage are also important considerations!

As with all infrastructure it comes down to logistics and LOCATION!

Personal Disclosure: I wish you and your mates the best with this endevour.

P.S. Wear Your Safety Gear at all times such as boots and a helmet as your on a building worksite and measure twice and cut once OK!

You've seen The Refuge, right?

Check Out The Refuge

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/d08e0134651c.jpg[/atsimg]

This thing is a molded shelter that you can either bury or cement into the ground, leaving just a super strong access hatch above ground. The one pictured is the "economy" model at $4000 installed.

No, I'm not selling for them, although I may be a customer in the near future.

These guys have a whole range of these tornado refuge/bunker solutions, varying in sophistication, ventilation, etc. I mean, you pour a few tons of concrete around one of these, you've gotta functional bunker, right. And a damned nice one, IMO.


— Doc Velocity

Yup, in a tornado, hurricane, or whatever, what usually kills you is the flying debris.

It does not take much, but you need to be just below ground level and have a nice strong roof hatch.

As for nuclear or biological war, nothing will save you.

As for the complete breakdown of law and order, martial law, riot, or revolution, you need to come out eventually, and all you will have done is postpone the problems for a short while.

Of course, if you want something a little more substantial, they can accommodate you...

"Armored Guard" Deep Earth Shelter Solutions

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/64d3cd0e3434.jpeg[/atsimg]

These guys mean business, and they charge a lot of money to make your dreams come true.

My point is, they're posting photos of great designs that YOU can do yourself, right? So use their ideas, use their designs. You're not ripping them off, you're saving your own life, okay, and nobody can fault you for that.

Aside from using these guys' ideas, there are MANY old Cold War-era bomb shelter designs that cropped up in Popular Science and Popular Mechanics magazines back in the 1950s and 60s and 70s, and those plans sometimes surface in, of all places, Ebay.

I don't see any at a glance today, but if you float a few search keywords, you'll be amazed at the number of bombshelter plans and related books on Ebay. Here's one, for example...

Bunker Plans on Ebay

Again, I'm not the seller, I'm just using this as an example.

— Doc Velocity






[edit on 1/27/2010 by Doc Velocity]

One more thing to consider is location... It's a major consideration.

If you build this thing in the wrong location, it's going to fill up with water and you'll end up with a cistern instead of a bunker.

You've gotta find out where is the water table in your area. How far below the surface is the water? You mentioned "mountain stone" (which could be anything), so that tells us you're in the mountains or a mountain valley. There's a lot of hydro-dynamism in a mountain-valley system. Lot of flooding, mudslides, waterfalls, et cetera.

I mean, a mountain is a catcher's mitt for rain — I know, I live in the mountains myself — and water action in the mountains is a primary factor to be addressed in any construction project.

So, I'm saying, make sure you place this thing in such a location that it's NOT going to be a water trap. Keep it AWAY from water, okay?

Another thing to consider: Tree roots. Take a look at a big tree. Now imagine that tree flipped vertically and extending underground. That's a pretty good approximation of the extent of its root system.

Don't build your bunker near big trees, because their root systems will destroy your bunker over time.

Ventilation is going to be your MAIN CONCERN in an underground bunker. You have to keep germ warfare and radiation out of your bunker, and you also have to vent your sewage fumes, right? Take a hint from miners and tunnel-builders, and always have at least 2 separate ventilation systems running.

Your ventilation could be the most expensive consideration, actually. It has to be so specialized as to shield you from toxins, yet it has to deliver fresh air to you without failure. This is a tall order.

Your ventilation pipe can be sabotaged, so you need a backup ventilation, camouflaged and unobtrusive.

I've even thought about planting decoy ventilation pipes to draw the curious away from my bunker.

I haven't seen it mentioned in many websites, but I think a telescoping air pipe is something that must be incorporated — I would think it necessary in cases of deep snowfall or ash fall. Yeah, you've gotta think hard on ventilation.

— Doc Velocity





[edit on 1/27/2010 by Doc Velocity]

Originally posted by Eurisko2012
reply to post by gwydionblack

 

Yes, buy an old missile silo and fix it up.
Missile Base

I just jizzed my pants. Oh how I wish I had 1 mill I'd buy one in a heartbeat.

And I'll add just some tips I have. These are my opinion, I'm not a professional.

Don't build under trees, houses or anything overhanging that can fall onto your bunker. You wouldn't want a large tree, or 1 ton of dirt falling onto your bunkers entrance. You'd wouldn't want to be locked out of your bunker or locked in.

Keep your bunker secret. No "Keep out" signs around your bunker. You don't want everyone know you have one or you'll quickly become everyone best friend when SHTF. Having your neighborhood begging to let them in could cause a lot of problems.

You'd want a bunker that is easily maintained and reliable. You don't have the time/ resources or energy to continue fixing a water leak or cracks in the roof. Keep your bunker tidy at all times, you don't want fires breaking out because you couldn't be bothered to clean up that flammable liquid you spilled.

Stock on what you NEED, not WANT. Food, water, protection (guns, knifes etc) clothes, blankets and first aid kits are no braininess.

Build your bunker somewhere high, on a mountain/ hilltop. You'd want to have a good view of your surroundings when you emerge from your bunker. You don't want to travel 10 ks to see what is happening over the hill. You'll put yourself in danger and someone could steal your bunker.

Also,

Make sure its certified against ATF and FBI (ie waco proof).

Mine was constructed like a regular home basement only in a deeper hole and a foot of concrete on top. 2 entrances / exits one with stairs one only a ladder you wouldn't be able to find either. air intake and exhaust is from plastic drain tiles several hundred feet long.Generators are the same setup in a different area. 3 1800 watt single cylender diesel generators and 20 off the shelf golf cart batteries and a few inverters for the 120 volt stuff. Fuel for the generators is rotated partially every year and used in my trucks and tractors. The well and septic are standard home setups but the well is inside the engineering area and the septic is pumped to a standard drain field. 1 power line from the barn runs the de humidifiers and freezers and keeps the batteries topped off the system will automatically go to internal after 4 hours of power failure. fuel on site for 3 years give or take food for a year for 4 people 1200sq feet computer dvd and vcr hundreds of movies and music cd's. Downside is it's 5 hours away on a good day about a week by foot at night with several stashes along the way. Been sitting there for over 10 years and not even my ex knew about it.

Read online or (preferably) buy Kearney's Nuclear War Survival Skills.

www.oism.org...

This will teach you how to make some nuclear fallout shelters.

Also recommended (available as books or read online) are the SAS Survival Guide handbook, and U.S. Army Survival Field Manual. These books will help you stay alive in any circumstance.

You should also create some bug out bags in advance for you and your family to be prepared for any sudden disaster.

[edit on 27-1-2010 by theyreadmymind]

reply to post by mikellmikell

Dang. You have any photos? I wanna see that thing!

reply to post by Doc Velocity


Is the refuge bullet broof or blast proof? With tornado's comes raiders afterward to jack you up for money and other goods you might have. I guess for 4000 or higher its got to be worth it.

One thing that I find deeply irritating is that the INternet is filled with articles on how to build a last minute shelter, but there is almost nothing on how to build a decent one with time and care.

reply to post by gwydionblack


My advice for you would be to visit my thread.

Bunker 101 : Building Your Bunker, Forget the Bug Out Bag, Make A Fortress

Realize that it is merely a theory because I take zero responsibility if you get hurt.

In other words, build one at your own risk, because if it fails, it is not my fault.

As they say with real estate, there are three main factors...

- LOCATION
- LOCATION
- LOCATION

The best way to survive a nuclear attack is not to be there when it takes place.

For the best site, identify primary and secondary targets, then look for the place furthest from them. Sort fo places to avoid being near:-

- Military bases
- AIrports
- Population centres
- Steel mills
- Mining centres
- Telecommunications centres

Plus also look for a place connected to the rest of the world by road, but is three days walk away from anywhere else - that's commonly the furthest a human can usually walk after a catastrophy

I found out a few years back that, according to the CIA, two of the safest places in North America are Carmacks and Mayo, both in the Yukon. Why? You've never head of them? Exactly, there's absolutely nothing there and land could be bought there for as little as $4000 with full planning permission a few years ago.

Amazing thing is how so many are attempting to put themselves underground to avoid JUDGMENT what about your extended families OR DO THEY NOT MATTER FACE IT WITH THE REST OF US -you may get a nice transport experiencewhy others are left to be cooked in the earth and served on platters SMH ARE YOU NOT BEHAVING SELFISH & EVIL TO THINK ONLY OF YOURSELVES AND NOT YOUR EXTENDED FAMILIES?????? OR EVEN YOU SPECIES

[edit on 1/27/10 by Ophiuchus 13]