Bomb Shelter/Tornado shelter
- Thread starter okclumberjack
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atgreene
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- 2005 TB135 Excavator with Thumb, Quick Attach System, Ripper tooth, 3' Hydrauic Tilt Clean-up Bucket, Skeleton Bucket, 1986 Kubota 4150 with Loader and Quick Attach with Woods Forks, JD B, 1963 IH 504
I have no need for one where I'm at (Maine averages one tornado per year), but I always wondered about a precast concrete septic tank, modified to be used for a temporary shelter. It could be partially burried either in or near the garage or house. Not sure what you'd need for a door, but most concrete pre-cast places will cast whatever you want or need when they pour it. A 1000 gallon tank is 6' x8' x 4' (rough outside dimensions) and is delivered to me for about $700.00. Seems like there must be a way to make one work.
jonyyuma
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Did you find out if the septic tank has any steel rebar inside it? Un-reinforced concrete might not hold up well enough?
atgreene
Platinum Member
- Joined
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- Sebago, Maine
- Tractor
- 2005 TB135 Excavator with Thumb, Quick Attach System, Ripper tooth, 3' Hydrauic Tilt Clean-up Bucket, Skeleton Bucket, 1986 Kubota 4150 with Loader and Quick Attach with Woods Forks, JD B, 1963 IH 504
Some do have rebar, most have wire. They can add rebar if you request it. They also make larger tanks as well as heavy duty tanks that you can drive on. Seems like a cheaper way to me, but then again, its not me that is hunkered down waiting for a 300 MPH whirlwind of debris and projectiles to pass over.
Can't think of an above ground. Seems like one below ground would be the best, and not needing much if any reinforcing. Only needs to withstand subsoil pressure and with a good roof, (below ground) should not have a problem . Been thinking about getting one lately though. Just the cost.
mattridessleds
Bronze Member
I would have to respectfully say your nuts. I've only seen 1 tornado's damage in my life time and that was "a baby one". I live in upstate NY and we very very rarely have them. But from what I've seen from the news down there when these things go through I wouldn't want to take the chance. I'm a cheap son of a gun but I do like the idea of the septic tank that someone already mentioned. I think if you get one and bury it maybe so 3 sides are buried and you can manage some sort of reinforced door on the exposed side and reinforce the tank with rebar that may work. I dunno just my 2 cents. You guys got it way worse there as far as that goes than we do. I do like BHD's shelter reminds of a wine cellar more than a storm cellar, just in case your down there for a while, or you want to hide from the wife lol.
-Matt
-Matt
Wood_Butcher_Dav
Gold Member
BHD
Veteran Member
my generator shed, is a concrete block building with a foundation, and ever core is rebared, and cross rebar, ever 3 course, and all concrete filled, steel doors and frames, the roof is supported with 8 inch I beam, and has a concrete reinforced, roof, with rebar about ever 6" in both directions,
no I do not have engineers stamp but I would guess it would with stand most tornado's, all the rebar is through the foundation in to the walls and again lapped in to the roof,
no I do not have engineers stamp but I would guess it would with stand most tornado's, all the rebar is through the foundation in to the walls and again lapped in to the roof,
BHD
Veteran Member
I made it my self, (bringing the tank home I watched a tornado pass with in a 1/4 mile of the farm).
I had the hole dug, poured footers, and measured carefully (think i had some stakes so I could put up a string fast and then placed rebar into the fresh cement after leveling the Rebar was to go into the core of cement block, I layed about 4 foot of wall, and filled the cores and had rebar coming up about ever 4 foot, then I got a 8" wide 3/16" steel flat, and burn holes so the rebar could come up through the plate, and then welded it on to the rebar and cut off the rebar that was up and ground it smooth,
I took the tank, (had a rotten bottom in it, and carefully measured and cut it in half, (I used abrasive cut off blades in a skill saw) to cut the tank, that gave me about 20' of tank halves, then pulled it over the hole and and slid it onto the block wall when in place I welded it to the plate, and then the two halves together, I ended up having to weld a 1" flat on about a 1/3 of one side, to fill the gap it was up about 1/2" on one corner, when the halves were tight together,
then tared it well,
I later added an intake ventilator pipe and put a wind powered suction fan on the rear of it,
they had cut a hole in the tank to inspect it on the "top" it was a hole about 30" around, I left it and out of the some metal cut a disk about 34" in diameter and drilled holes and bolted it on with the nuts to the inside, and welded the bolt holes on to the tank, I keep a small shovel and a wrench that is bolted to one of the nuts via chain, so I can remove the plate and dig out if the entrance is damage to the point I can not open up the door for some reason,
I would consider IF one can find a usable tank, (mine had non hazardous materials in it), and is over 8 foot in diameter, I would weld in a few angle irons in it and put in a floor out of planks, (could store some thing under the floor area if it keep dry, if not use for a sump to be able to put water out,
weld some angles on the sides for bunks or for shelves, and then some type of ladder or stairs all one would have to is have the hole dug and level, and roll the tank into it, tar it possibly cover with additional water proofing and cover with earth, you can do like the old cellars and pull up the excess dirt that was in the hole back up and over the top, and have it mounded, for a cellar I think stairs are nearly a necessary,
if your looking for a blast shelter, stairs would need a very heavy door to resist very much over pressure, but a few feet of earth will stop most any radiation if that is a concern,
for a tornado shelter, if your in the hole and not standing in the door way you would have a difficult time getting sucked out of the cellar,
ours does not freeze and will stay below 70 and most of the time cooler in the summer,
I got the idea from culverts, under roads, and I have seen pictures of large, culverts being used for in the ground shelters,
before I came across the tank,
I had considered using RR ties cribbed and spiked together, figured if I plastic sheeted a few layers and covering it with earth using RR ties for the roof as well,
considered using cement block and going up and a reinforced concrete deck for the roof of it as well,
if what I wrote did not answer your questions ask and I will try to answer,
I had the hole dug, poured footers, and measured carefully (think i had some stakes so I could put up a string fast and then placed rebar into the fresh cement after leveling the Rebar was to go into the core of cement block, I layed about 4 foot of wall, and filled the cores and had rebar coming up about ever 4 foot, then I got a 8" wide 3/16" steel flat, and burn holes so the rebar could come up through the plate, and then welded it on to the rebar and cut off the rebar that was up and ground it smooth,
I took the tank, (had a rotten bottom in it, and carefully measured and cut it in half, (I used abrasive cut off blades in a skill saw) to cut the tank, that gave me about 20' of tank halves, then pulled it over the hole and and slid it onto the block wall when in place I welded it to the plate, and then the two halves together, I ended up having to weld a 1" flat on about a 1/3 of one side, to fill the gap it was up about 1/2" on one corner, when the halves were tight together,
then tared it well,
I later added an intake ventilator pipe and put a wind powered suction fan on the rear of it,
they had cut a hole in the tank to inspect it on the "top" it was a hole about 30" around, I left it and out of the some metal cut a disk about 34" in diameter and drilled holes and bolted it on with the nuts to the inside, and welded the bolt holes on to the tank, I keep a small shovel and a wrench that is bolted to one of the nuts via chain, so I can remove the plate and dig out if the entrance is damage to the point I can not open up the door for some reason,
I would consider IF one can find a usable tank, (mine had non hazardous materials in it), and is over 8 foot in diameter, I would weld in a few angle irons in it and put in a floor out of planks, (could store some thing under the floor area if it keep dry, if not use for a sump to be able to put water out,
weld some angles on the sides for bunks or for shelves, and then some type of ladder or stairs all one would have to is have the hole dug and level, and roll the tank into it, tar it possibly cover with additional water proofing and cover with earth, you can do like the old cellars and pull up the excess dirt that was in the hole back up and over the top, and have it mounded, for a cellar I think stairs are nearly a necessary,
if your looking for a blast shelter, stairs would need a very heavy door to resist very much over pressure, but a few feet of earth will stop most any radiation if that is a concern,
for a tornado shelter, if your in the hole and not standing in the door way you would have a difficult time getting sucked out of the cellar,
ours does not freeze and will stay below 70 and most of the time cooler in the summer,
I got the idea from culverts, under roads, and I have seen pictures of large, culverts being used for in the ground shelters,
before I came across the tank,
I had considered using RR ties cribbed and spiked together, figured if I plastic sheeted a few layers and covering it with earth using RR ties for the roof as well,
considered using cement block and going up and a reinforced concrete deck for the roof of it as well,
if what I wrote did not answer your questions ask and I will try to answer,
