Amarillo, TX
Pantex Component Evaluation Facility
Scope/Solutions
Pantex planned the new Component Evaluation Facility (CEF) to meet criteria for withstanding mixed categories of various intensities of natural phenomena hazards (NPH), and accidental, and intentional and unintentional loads. Working for Washington Group International (WGI), SGH provided analyses to determine that the structure met the criteria. At the time of this project, WGI was under subcontract to BWXT Pantex, who managed and operated the Pantex Plant for the Department of Energy and the National Nuclear Security Administration.
The CEF is a primarily reinforced concrete structure that consists of a 75,000 sq ft bay complex that houses process equipment, storage areas, and offices. The facility also includes a conference room, a mechanical/electrical room, ramps, and corridors. For this project, SGH completed the following:
- Documented structural analyses and design criteria for conceptual and final designs
- Developed conceptual designs for base slabs, footings, walls, and roofs
- Reviewed site-specific seismic criteria and recommended additional geotechnical studies
- Prepared criteria for structural design and analysis, including ductile detailing required for high-hazard structures
- Performed seismic SSSI analysis using SASSI 2000 software
- Conducted non-seismic load analyses, accounting for resistance to tornado-borne missiles and other NPH loads
- Prepared conceptual structural design drawings that fed estimation of construction cost studies
- Performed value engineering studies for concrete construction procedures and alternative foundation designs