Big Science - Accelerating Underground; some pointers to successful design delivery

Craig Covil, Arup

‘Big Science' is an international focus as the costs for designing, constructing, operating and maintaining these huge mega projects (construction values greater than $1billion) become too large for most state, federal and national scientific entities to undertake alone. Collaboration between nations in scientific research and the funding thereof has been around for many years. Research in the sub atomic physics is focused on the identification and measurement of the elusive Higgs Boson, and therein the answer to a significant number of scientific and physics questions: The international fraternity is going underground; bigger and faster than ever before. Underground, where background noise is much reduced, and building larger scale accelerators, beams and collider's and target responders have more chance in expanding the scientific hypothesizes into real and meaningful experimental data. The science necessitates the use of cryogenic gases and liquids in order to ‘slow' and help improve the sensitivity of the measurement instruments. With this come ever increasing code requirements as we deal with oxygen deficiency assessments and fire code compliance. The mechanical ventilation systems are stretched not just because of the scale of some of these facilities but also the fact that the systems need to be strictly compartmentalized for safety and security requirements. The ever increasing amount of data that is collected and needs to be stored and analyzed necessitates bigger, faster and more resilient data management systems. The fact we are now placing scientists and laboratory support staff underground for large parts of a working day -human factors need to be considered in the design. Engineers, architects and construction teams are helping to design this new breed of large scale underground scientific research facilities.

The presentation will draw upon the authors experience and knowledge in leading multidisciplinary design teams from concept through design development on a number of large scale underground laboratories including: NSF and Cornell University funded Energy Recovery Linear (ERL) Accelerator, New York; the initial stages of the DUSEL (Deep Underground Science & Engineering Laboratory) project at the old Homestake Mine, South Dakota, the conceptual designs for the New Generation Light Source (NGLS) project at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) campus; the current Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) at Homestake, and specifically DOE's Long Baseline Neutrino Experiment (LBNE) that will observe and research a beam of neutrinos sourced at Fermilab, Illinois and measured some 800 miles away at SURF; as well as the new International Linear Collider project at CERN.

Learning Objectives

  • Learn about how funding (money) source and timing and processes can play an important role in how the design of a major scientific research facility is delivered. How to differentiate between Capex and Opex at early conceptual stages of design development.
  • Learn about the main technical issues and constraints that impact the design considerations of the design of large scale underground scientific research facilities for high specification sub-atomic particle research, and particularly issues with respect to noise, vibration, cryogenics, code compliance, confined spaces, and human factors.
  • Learn about the design team leadership management processes required for large scale, long-term design projects; processes of defining program and laboratory requirements, as opposed to 'desirements', and methods for soliciting the scientists important information alongside the facilities management and lab O&M teams input.

Biography:

Craig is an engineer and Principal of Arup, based in New York with international design and construction experience of large scientific research facilities. Craig is the principal in charge leading the design of DUSEL in South Dakota, and now the DOE's Long Baseline Neutrino Experiment (LBNE) as part of Sanford Underground Research Facility. Craig has also led and been involved in the New Generation Light Source project at LBNL, Berkeley; Cornell Energy Recovery Linac, and CERN CLIC project.

 

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