NCSC #54

CURRENT STATUS OF CONSTRUCTION
ON THE
NUCLEAR REACTOR AND THE NUCLEAR REACTOR BUILDING
AT
NORTH CAROLINA STATE COLLEGE

August 1, 1952

Clifford Beck, Chairman
Physics Department

CURRENT STATUS OF CONSTRUCTION
ON THE
NUCLEAR REACTOR AND THE NUCLEAR REACTOR BUILDING
AT
NORTH CAROLINA STATE COLLEGE

• 1. INTRODUCTION

  The Nuclear Reactor Project at North Carolina State College has had
  two separate parts: (1) Construction of the Nuclear Reactor, and (2)
  Construction of a Reactor Building in which the reactor and its associated
  laboratories are to be housed.

  At the outset, it was proposed that the Nuclear Reactor be constructed
  (at an estimated cost of $150,000) in one of the buildings already existing
  on the campus. A considerable portion of the design of the Reactor was
  completed with this in mind. Later, through a generous gift of $200,000
  from the Burlington Mills Foundation, augmented by additional funds from
  the College, a $380,000 laboratory building to house the Reactor was assured
  for the project. Availability of this specially designed building, contain-
  ing associated laboratories and auxiliarly equipment, will increase tremendously
  the value and usefulness of the project.

• 2. SEQUENCE OF CONSTRUCTION

  Thus chronologically, plans for the Reactor itself were developed well
  in advance of those for the Reactor Building. It might be mentioned also,
  that considerable delay was encountered in crystallizing the architectural
  

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  plans of the Reactor Building, and in selecting construction contractors.

  In view of this situation, request was made, and permission was granted,
  for construction of the Reactor to get under way even before final details
  of the building plans had been drawn. On May 12, 1951, therefore, excavation
  of the Reactor (and Building) site was started, and in June, 1951 the
  Southeastern Construction Company began construction of the concrete Reactor
  foundations and the floor for the Reactor Room. When this work was completed,
  the same company was requested to erect the concrete shielding of the Reactor
  Assembly. Working at a rather slow pace, the shielding was completed in
  December, 1951.

  The first attached photograph shows the Reactor shielding structure
  (essentially completed). This photograph was made in November, 1951.

• 3. PRESENT STATUS

  The Wrenn-Wilson Construction Company of Durham are the general con-
  tractors for the Reactor Building. Work was started in January, 1952, and
  was scheduled for completion in November, 1952.

  It is significant to note that not a single delay in construction has
  been encountered on this project because of material shortages or delayed
  deliveries. High priorities, and even government directives, have been a
  vailable at any time they have been needed to secure delivery; however,
  there has been a shortage of labor, and the construction program appears to be
  a month at least behind schedule.

  The second attached photograph shows the Reactor Building in its present
  stage of construction. One section of the concrete wall of the octagonally-shaped
  

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  central Reactor Room has been poured. Part of the brick work of the exterior
  walls has been placed. The concrete floors are poured except in the Observa-
  tion and Control Rooms.

• 4. PROSPECTUS

  Since completion of the Reactor Shield, efforts on the Reactor itself
  have gone toward collecting and testing components which will comprise the
  working assembly. The actual installation and final testing cannot be ac-
  complished until the building is finished. After the building is finished,
  from three to six months will be required to bring the Reactor into full
  operation.

  As mentioned above, completion of the Reactor Building was scheduled
  for November, 1952. It is to be hoped that actual completion will be
  achieved by this date or shortly thereafter.

Copies to: Burlington Mills
Mr. W. D. Carmichael, Jr.
Mr. Gordon Gray
Dean J. H. Lampe