Advice on an Underground Bunker

Inside WWII Atom Bunker and this had been rebuild for the modering time, after this tv show ofc.

I'm wondering who is on that poster in 1:50, it says: Its hard to keep on a secret, but try anyway.

reply to post by gwydionblack

Is three feet under enough to mask the bunker from thermal imaging monitors?

Short answer: no, because the technology is good enough to detect structure thousands of feet underground.

There are a number of issues, of which heat is only one. For heat imaging, the solution is to avoid square shapes. There are natural variances in the abillity of soil to retain heat. Anyone looking at an imaging map is going to be looking for straignt lines. So don't give them any.

The first step is going to be to buy a bunch of space blankets and spread them out on five out of six sides of your construction, leaving the ground unshielded so your bunker does not become an oven. This will not only block heat, it will also tend to block EM emissions from computers, refridgerators, and other electronics, though doing so may make you stand out even more strongly to ground penetrating radar. To avoid that, you might consider a top layer of radar absorbent foam. Next, dig out the area surrounding your bunker in strange, random shapes of varying depths, and with a scattering of oddly shaped pockets. Fill the entire area in with concrete, but do it in multiples stages, and rearrange the surface with a shovel as it dries. You don't want a reflective flat surface of concrete. It should be heavily contoured. Cover with varying depths of dirt of top. The overall goal here is not to prevent them from seeing you. They will. But you want them to see something that blends in naturally with the surrounding terrain; something that looks natural variances of soil density and rocks instead of a bunker.

The weakest point is likely to be your entrance, to which there are a number of solutions, but I would suggest building a sideways tunnel entrance rather than a straight-down-from-top entrance. Keep in mind that the flat edges of the tunnel will be just as visible as the flat edges of the bunker. Extend your varying-depth-concrete layer above the length of your entry tunnel.

Another thing to consider...how are you getting to your bunker? WIll you be driving? All of the above is going to be fairly irrelevant if you have a pair of SUVs parked a dozen yards from the entrance. If you have the space, you might consider building the place to accomodate vehicles. Make your entrance big enough to drive them in, and store them inside.

what would be the best bet to secure electronics in the bunker from EMP interference?

The space blankets mentioned above should provide some protection from EM pulses, but if you use steel shipping crates, your entire bunker will basically be a huge Faraday cage.

I am having trouble thinking about how to go about the roof if I go this route. Any ideas?

I'm not sure I understand what the problem is. If I understand your description, you'll have a wooden section to your walls...what's stopping you from simply anchoring ceiling support beams directly to it?

I figured the ATS crowd could help and you all delivered. Appreciated.

Happy to help.


[edit on 31-1-2010 by LordBucket]

Perhaps the BEST underground shelters I've ever seen that are manufactured today can be found at Radius Engineering I've also seen ARK and ARK-II which used school buses. Culvert pipes, shipping containers are great....BUT....

There are soo many aspects to the design/installation of an underground shelter engaging in DIY engineering for something that's intended to save your life might cost you more than buying one and having it installed.

For example, simple things like electricity, water, sewer, ventilation/filtration can mean the difference between life/death.

Even in short-term sheltering, air quality is a HUGE concern. Secondary to that is sanitation. The important thing in SHTF situations is being able to secure your shelter from outside attacks, as well as preventing outsiders from drawing the occupants out by way if introducing chemicals/gas into the shelter through it's vent pipes.

DO NOT tell anyone , youre building one, where its at, basically anything about it.

A blast valve on your air vent? Man, I never thought of that. I learn something new every day.

I'd say you need to have a boat load of money to do this right. It might be best for common folk to just have some guns, knives, and a lot of ammo and gear to carry it all with. Fight it out on the top side.

reply to post by TroyB


I've been looking into companies and designs for some time now, and while I really like all the planning and designs of the Radius stuff, I wonder about the fiberglass construction for an underground bunker. How does it hold up over time in soil conditions/changes? Anyone else have concerns with fiberglass?

Originally posted by Wolf321
reply to post by TroyB

 

I've been looking into companies and designs for some time now, and while I really like all the planning and designs of the Radius stuff, I wonder about the fiberglass construction for an underground bunker. How does it hold up over time in soil conditions/changes? Anyone else have concerns with fiberglass?

Radius put ours in a few years back and we have had no problems with anything they installed....

SHELTER & STRG, 10X17, REINF CONCRETE, BELOWGROUND, STAIRS PDF
BLAST AND FALLOUT SHELTER FOR 6 PEOPLE, 10X20X6, REINF. CONCRETE PDF
Building & Facility Plans

Taken from my thread
What a great resource for ATS survival ?

reply to post by lilwolf


I would imagine they would be fine for some degree of time, but I'm curious about long term, 50+ years.

Even if 2012 is nothing more than a typical 365 days, I would want one for any future events big or small, and my children would likely have it after me, and I would expect it to be good still.

With concrete or some steel shelters, as has been seen by their existence since World War times, no concern over functional deteriation (for the most part.)

I am really curious about the effects of soil of various ph levels as well as water runoff and drainage, even temperature fluctuation (assuming dramatic climate change) on the material and its ability to still provide blast protection and such.

[edit on 1-2-2010 by Wolf321]

can i be in your bunker lol im a computer engineer lol

reply to post by TroyB


OK wow, yeah, Radius seems a LITTLE bit out of our price range. However in the future if I ever feel like living in the ground, I know where to look from my underground living needs.

Well after some research I found an answer to my concerns over the fiberglass models. It's by the same guy who makes them, but even if he over exaggerated, it seems like they would last long.

Concrete Underground Shelters are too Dangerous to use in a Serious Emergency

McCarthy warns that concrete walls soak up water and are prone to cracks that leak. Underground shelter walls are under much more pressure than the average household basement, and are deeper under the water table. Water inside a shelter will disable life support systems. It corrodes the steel supports in a concrete shelter, limiting the shelter’s lifespan.

Fiberglass shelters are watertight structures just like boats. Radius fiberglass structures have a 300 year lifespan.

Man TPTB are gonna have all types of fun blowing up people's "bunkers" from the sky. I fear those containers some feel will provide their family safety may become coffins. I would not advise building one of these at all they are holes in the groung that you throw money into!!

Hmmmm? some very interesting ideas about building bunkers here, may have to incorporate some into my own when i get round to building it

reply to post by alyosha1981


So what are your suggestions for surviving the various SHTF senarios? Personally, I don't consider Search and Destroy:Bunkers the most likely way a government would try to destroy its own people. But I guess anything is possible.

You might consider getting a couple of full sized commercial steel dumpsters, weld them together, and bury them. They are relatively cheap for an used one, and are literally built like tanks. The hard part is getting the crane to move them around and position them.

cgi.ebay.com...

It already even has doors that can be easily modified to lock inside.

that is just one idea.

[edit on 1-2-2010 by DJM8507]

Here is an idea for earth sustainable underground housing, by using large concrete pipes.

Source


[edit on 8-2-2010 by ogbert]

I am doing this right now. I am in a community of peaple who are helping me. I have tried to read all the posts but may have mist a few. My community has 200 gallon to 3500 gallon water containers underground. They have been braced fom the inside including a wood floor shelves have been incorperated into the wood brace structure and some have bunks. Here is a photo www.plastic-mart.com...
The smaller ones are used for catches no bracing done on them. The larger ones have large entries on top these are standard with the tank and can be locked.
I also have a few 40 ft and 20 ft containers they are not always water proof you have to inspect them yourself if you know how or tell who you are buying from its going underground so do not sell me crap. They really should be coated with a cold tar totally which is cost effective. Some use under car armor but I like the tar. The floors are normally heavy wood. The doors need to be welded closed. You really should place railroad ties around the container and on top for support cost is minimal. My buddys container side starting pushing in do to not using rail ties. I also added a layer of pond liner material over the hillside and off the side of the container. Mine is located off the side of a hill facing north for many reasons already stated in the other threads it gives me more protection. The air supply is a issue here is the only model I have found that is ready to go www.americansaferoom.com...
You can make 2 exits any where you want on the container, we use corrigated steel rounds 2 ft which actually come with mounts but can be welded directly. I have 1 exit on top totally concealed and a shoot coming from a above ground containers underground cave. I do have a wood stove and it looks kinda normal inside. The cheapist sanitation method is another water tank like a 350 gallon dropped in below to the side of the container used like a cesspool this is aguired by drilling 1 inch holes starting about 1 foot up from the botton for seapage just do not forget the gas release pipe that needs to run all the way up from that unit to above ground. I can be more specific but not sure of the interest any of you have interest in this.
The great thing is that you have help and a few thousand to spare. I suggest a 40 footer for the amount of peaple you have or 2 20 footers side by side with a corrigated pasageway of course the 40 footer would be easier to supply air syatem to you might want to email bruce beach google him he has experiance in air systems per person bases.
Best of luck.
In Short I have to much info swimming in my head , if you have any questions . I will try to stay caught up on the thread as it is interesting.

Edited to ad that for your information you can have a cement septic tank installed they can be pretty large, they cost way less than making one yourself and can be as large as you ask for, they work great for shelters, just dont tip off the septic guys although I am sure they will get somethings up when you say no permit. Alterations once they are done by you.
Most cost effective are the water tanks or containers.

[edit on 8-2-2010 by saralee]

[edit on 8-2-2010 by saralee]

An excellent and very inexpensive way to build your walls and roof, and to severely reduce the weight on the top of the bunker, is to use the 2ft by 4 ft blocks of styrofoam. You can put your bunker 4 feet below ground level, put a layer of the styrofoam blocks covered in plastic on top of the bunker, then cover it with two feet of soil instead of 3. It is a fantastic insulator, will never rot and will not cruch under the weight of the soil.

reply to post by theQuest


Have you done this? or know someoe who has? Curious, I have not heard of this.I do not understand how it support wieght.