Antiterrorism Buildings
July 23, 2003
Monolithic Domes can withstand terrorist attacks better than most conventional buildings.
 by David B. South, President of the Monolithic Dome Institute |
Thin shell concrete structures stand up to allied bombing
In 1976 I received a report from a German engineer stating that, during World War II, thin shell concrete buildings faired much better than other structures. I had hired him to engineer a dome in Germany and he sent me the report unsolicited.
He further reported that during bombing incidents-- if thin shells took a direct hit-- either the bombs ricocheted off the structures and exploded away from the buildings or they penetrated the shell and went off inside.
In either case, the bombs did not bring the buildings down. If the explosive created a hole in the shell, patching the damage was not difficult and cleanup and remodeling could be safely done inside.
This report intrigued me. It came at a time when my brothers and I first started building and promoting Monolithic Domes. Further checking with our thin shell engineer revealed that a three-inch-thick, concrete thin shell could withstand more of a bomb blast than a twelve-inch-thick, highly reinforced, concrete straight wall.
The Monolithic Dome
The Monolithic Dome is a concrete thin shell with a three-inch layer of urethane foam covered by a fabric on its exterior.
It is also quite easy to apply another layer of reinforced concrete over the exterior of the fabric. This additional layer not only protects the fabric, but provides armor plating for the already disaster resistant Monolithic Dome.
Obviously, our modern-day thin shell -- the Monolithic Dome -- can be constructed to be even stronger, tougher and more resistant to attack than the thin shells of the past.
Monolithic Domes and surviving terrorist attacks
Terrorist bombing attacks are most often directed against people inside a building. Such attacks often include blowing up a truck parked in front of a building or ramming into structures and detonating explosives. The Monolithic Dome can better withstand these types of attacks than almost any other type of building.
An engineer can demonstrate that any kind of pressure against a dome rapidly dissipates around a curve. But pressure against a flat surface concentrates in the center. This physical principle is one of the reasons why domes are far superior in surviving a blast.
Biological Containment
Biological containment by a Monolithic Dome is inherent. Because they are air tight structures, Monolithic Domes offer major protection from gas, radiation and bio-hazards. This is especially important for schools, military command centers and other large capacity buildings.
Withstanding small arms and direct fire weapons
Monolithic Domes can protect occupants from most indirect fire weapons, as well as small arms fire and many other direct fire weapons. We have tested this on our own buildings.
This protection capability of the Monolithic Dome can be further enhanced by covering the Airform with concrete. The concrete-foam-concrete sandwich is the best protection against weapons fire.
Monolithic Domes outlast rampant fires
The Monolithic Dome is as fire safe as a building can be made. Only what is carried into the structure can burn. Much of the damage done to cities during World War II was caused by fires which were seeded by bombs and grenades. These fires would not have compromised the security of the Monolithic Dome.
Military Applications
A quick study of Monolithic Domes can show that they are the logical buildings for most military applications. Their cost of construction is reasonable. They require less materials to construct and are generally faster to build than conventional buildings. Energy reduction is usually 50% or more. They are permanent. And they are easy to lock down and defend-- hostile entities would find it very difficult to break through a Monolithic Dome.
More importantly, Monolithic Domes can withstand natural and man-made disasters. They make excellent munition storages-- reducing the risk of detonating the contents by hostile fire. If the contents DO detonate, the Monolithic Dome can protect the surrounding area from the explosion.
The government invests billions of dollars in military and research equipment. It would make good financial sense for these tanks, planes, automobiles and even the space shuttle to be stored in Monolithic Domes instead of metal tents.
The Monolithic Dome is the only building that can be built at a reasonable price to meet FEMA's guidelines for a building that provides near-absolute protection.
Related Links:
- Building Survivability
- Wind, Water and Monolithic Domes
- Liquefaction and Earthquakes
- DuPont's Mississippi Gulf Coast Facility Builds A Monolithic Dome Hurricane Shelter
- A Monolithic Dome Indestructible Fire Station
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