The shape of prime base

[mmartin798]

Originally Posted by nuke11

Moving a TBM around is a big deal and draws attention. What cover story could be used to mask the movement and then disposal of the spoils from the tunneling operation?

Failed Hyperloop test site?

[nuke11]

Originally Posted by mmartin798

Failed Hyperloop test site?

I guess but wouldn't that put this test site sometime around 2011/2012 or a bit later? But just based on timelines shouldn't Prime be one of if not the first place built for the project so it's completion would predate any public acknowledgement of a Hyperloop concept?

[mmartin798]

Originally Posted by nuke11

I guess but wouldn't that put this test site sometime around 2011/2012 or a bit later? But just based on timelines shouldn't Prime be one of if not the first place built for the project so it's completion would predate any public acknowledgement of a Hyperloop concept?

Vactrains, which Elon Musk's Hyperloop is only one of the more recent entries into the mix, have been proposed since the 18th century. This may not be Musk's Hyperloop, but from maybe a Morrow front company?

[dragoon500ly]

We have two basic problems with using TBMs or abandoned mines, etc..

Security is the biggest. An abandoned facility, being a mine, old factory, hyperloop etc., is that there are people AND documentation that shows its location. It would require a major cover operation to deflect attention away. Using a mine, for example, means that both Federal and State organizations have to be convinced that the mine is no longer their concern...and this includes convincing the EPA that there are no hazardous chemicals remaining on site.

Second problem is the footprint of the excavations. Spoil. hundreds if not thousands of tons of it. Its got to go somewhere. Calling it a mine brings the Feds/States into the middle of it. Calling it a "Nuclear Waste Disposal Site" will certainly get several Federal agencies into the loop. And a lot of them are going to want on-site inspections. Which leads us right back into the Security concern(s).

Because of these concerns, I'm not convinced that a TBM is the best approach. Rather, what is needed is something that can bore the tunnels, rapidly, discreetly, and be able to dispose of the spoil. We already have a Project with fusion power and lasers, perhaps a laser boring machine...yet another "handwaveium"?

[mmartin798]

Originally Posted by dragoon500ly

Second problem is the footprint of the excavations. Spoil. hundreds if not thousands of tons of it. Its got to go somewhere.

This is a big problem. The three rings suggested here will produce a little under 593000 cubic yards of material. This would take a Cat 797F Mining Truck about 1977 trips to haul away from the main bore hole, around 791000 tons.

If you bore near a natural cavern, you could just dump underground. Another possible solution could be to drill a network of shallow horizontal wells over a couple square miles and pump mix of water and pulverized rock into them, raising the ground level a few inches from below. Kind of like fracking, only with liquid rock into softer loam.

[dragoon500ly]

Originally Posted by mmartin798

If you bore near a natural cavern, you could just dump underground. Another possible solution could be to drill a network of shallow horizontal wells over a couple square miles and pump mix of water and pulverized rock into them, raising the ground level a few inches from below. Kind of like fracking, only with liquid rock into softer loam.

Wonder what the long term effect on the base would be?

This keeps presenting more arguments for smaller and fewer bases. Or moving spoil from one dig site to another to create artificial hills or even landfills.

[nuke11]

We discussed a nuclear tunnel boring machine a few years back either here on on another list. I did a search for this on Google and there is alot of crap, but I did find this excellent science paper on "Micro-Thermonuclear Plasma Tunneling
by Rock Melting" some excellent information and lots of details https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/1d8...0cf06af911.pdf

I do believe melting rock is the best thing to do.