Vulnerability Analysis Support

Problem Statement and Objectives

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) was requested to perform vulnerability analyses in support of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Vulnerability Assessment and Hardened Deeply Buried Target Programs.

Applied Research Associates (ARA) personnel provided expertise in the areas of numerical modeling and threat analysis.

Objectives:

• Assess damage resulting from the impact of an aircraft and/or aircraft components against a selected target.
  
  
• Perform a blast effects study to assess the response of both above and below ground structures.
  
  
• Develop model inputs for CTH, PRONTO, and Zapotec.
  
  
• Document the model input and analysis results.

Results and Benefits
The ARA-developed model inputs (e.g., finite element models and command files for an analysis code), analyses conducted with high level SNL codes (CTH, PRONTO, and Zapotec), and documented analysis results allowed SNL to provide information to the NRC to enhance their Vulnerability Assessment and Hardened Deeply Buried Target Programs.

Related

• Terrorist Threat and Vulnerability Assessment