CHAPTER Ii, SECTION 1 G) were received from LASL and consisted of: (1) two towers, one 275 feet high on Elmer and the second 300 feet high on Nan; (2) a dehumidified timing and communications building at Nan; (3) and a small camp and helicopter mat at Nan. A requirement for the design of a hydrogen dual liquefaction plant complete with utilities and services was also received in January. Increases in operational population at both Fred and Elmer were now apparent. Additional water and power requirements for these permanent base camps were investigated and studied. In March 1953, the recommended additional high-capacity, portable distillation units were authorized as temporary support facilities. A 1000 KW diesel generator at the CMR powerhouse on Elmer and a submarine power cable connecting Elmer and Fred were also recom- mended and authorized to absorb peak loads at Fred. On 15 April 1953, the Field Manager, AEC, announced to the Users the necessity of having design criteria in final form by 1 May 1953. As a result, large quantities of data were received, but there were many subsequent major changes which modified a large percentage of this data, and in some cases there was a lack of sufficient information upon which to base completed designs at that time. The manner in which this is broadly inhibiting to the Contractor is ilustrated by Scientific Station 20 - site Charlie, in which, pending only a column rearrangement, floor plans could not be laid out, structural steel could not be designed or ordered, and even field work could not be started until foundation and piling requirements were known. As the original scope of UCRL facilities was revised, so also was the original scope of the EG&G program modified. The Hydrogen Dual Liquefaction Plant was deleted; the 275-foot tower on Elmer was deleted and four 75-foot towers were added; the Nan timing and communications building (Station 70) was greatly increased in size and a bunker type power plant added. Incomplete data and revisions out of schedule have an impact on costs since they tend to compress the accomplishment time into such factors as overtime and unbalanced inventory. Experience has shown, however, that the momentum of scientific progress, the impulse to seek test perfection, and the necessary periodic re-evaluation of the test facilities in terms of constant refinement of data, appear to make such changes and revisions inherent in the ap- proach to an Operation. The necessary adaption was made and by the end of September, the structural, mechanical and electrical work was practically completed. design Minor changes of criteria were submitted and revisions to details of approved drawings Page 2-2 were requested through October and into November. New designs were requested after 15 November, notably the transmitter building and antenna array on site Nan (Station 7400). Due to the time element, these Stations could only be constructed by designing around surplus and maintenance stores at the site. This was done. The Home Office Engineering manpower required for the Scientific Structures Program is shown by the Engineering and Drafting Manpower and Progress Chart, Figure 2-1. It will be noted that the major work load for the four months of May, June, July and August, was more or less constant, with the peak load of 10,000 man hours per month being reached in July. The civil engimeering peak load occurred in October when the final calculations were made to convert the Scientific Station co-ordinates, bearings, and distances to the precise Bikini Atoll survey grid. FOUNDATIONand SOIL INVESTIGATIONS. In order to design foundations properly for certain massive Scientific Structures, and to control the critical limits of settlement required, a series of test borings were made on critical islands: 13 borings on 10 islands of Bikini Atoll and two borings on islands of Eniwetok Atoll. The drilling was accomplished by using rotary-wash type drilling equipment. Ten of the borings at Bikini Atoll extended to a depth of approximately 100 feet below the ground surface. The other three borings varied from 66 to 87 feet. The test drilling was started in March 1953 and completed in May 1953. The borings indicated that only slight diff- erences existed in the structure and sub-surface characteristics of various islands. Observation as well as test results from the field laboratory showed that none of the borings developed soil mechanics unsuitable from a foundation stand- point. These borings encountered no voids but did not rule out local void characteristics sometimes present. Undisturbed core samples of the soils pene- trated were extracted; also, representative loose samples were obtained during the course of the drilling for chemical analysis. All soils encountered were classified by visual and textural examination in the field; these classifications were supplemented by sieve tests and inspection of the samples in the test laboratory. These undisturbed core samples were subjected to a series of tests to determine the strengths, compressibilities, and physical characteristics of the soils. Direct shear, friction and consolidation tests were performed. In conjunction with these tests, the moisture contents and densities of the samples were determined. To aid in identification and classification of the soils, mechanical analysis was performed on the loose samples.