JOHN GLOVER
Firm’s ‘blast box’ success in USA
A steel construction system devised in Renfrew is being used to test advanced nuclear warhead technology at a US university after delivering on a contract to build blast chambers.
Modular Walling Systems, based in Renfrew, created the modular construction system for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Known as a ‘blast box’, the ultra- strong three- metre cubed chamber is now being used for explosives testing as part of a research programme on advanced warhead technologies for the US Department of Defense.
The University of Illinois blast box uses the patented s t e e l b r icks system, which comprises two steel faceplates internally connected to create a ‘sandwich’ panel.
The steel structure is then manufactured off-site as a single piece, before being filled with 72 tons of selfconsolidating concrete.
Dr. Stewart Gallocher, founding director of Modular Walling Systems, says it reduces on-site time and labour cost and is ideal for small modular reactor construction - a market estimated to be worth $1.2trn globally.
He said:“This takes away the need for conventional foundations, eliminating the traditional Achilles Heel of this form of construction which are the weak points of the base matt to wall connection.
“Many attempts have been made during the past 25 years to devise simple, safe and rapid fabrication methods to internally connect steel faceplates, but most have lacked commercial application due to being too expensive and labour intensive.
“We have now proved we can successfully deliver a solution which is technologically proficient whilst providing significant cost and time saving benefits.”
The blast chamber was built in the UK by Caunton Engineering, in Nottingham.
Professor Nick Glumac, who leads the explosive testing and weapons research faculty at the university, said: “The test facility allows for large scale high explosive testing with advanced imaging, spectroscopic and flash x-ray diagnostics.
“The system can be operated as a fully enclosed or partially vented structure enabling a wide variety of tests of high explosives, propellant systems and pyrotechnics.”