ML20235B014

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Concludes That Bodega Head Site Should Be Abandoned Due to Risks Involved W/Seismic Activity from Fault Line.Informs That Will Be Years Before Able to Design Rigid Structure Able to Resist Damage from Fault Movement
ML20235B014
Person / Time
Site: 05000000, Bodega Bay
Issue date: 01/21/1964
From: Rutherford J
AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED
To: Seaborg G
US ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION (AEC)
Shared Package
ML20234A767 List: ... further results
References
FOIA-85-665 NUDOCS 8709230497
Download: ML20235B014 (4)
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Text

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  • W H 8 4 519 JOHN 8tl5 SIN R V f H E R F O R D. ST R UCTU R AL ENGIN(It tit G E ARY St. . AM. 406 . S AN FR ANCISCO + YU !.5445 CO N ST A N TIN E C. CH,jK E N E. STR U CTU R AL (NGIN e g t (def /V) "'2 7:n c m .

pn co January 21, 1964 b~

Mr. Glenn T. Seaborg, Chairman

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Dear Sir:

l j/ 3.M- . 7 i As a structural engineer I am concerned about tNe/ proposed @

P.G.&E. reactor at Bodega Head. The'recently issued B%nljla-S

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l locker report indicates that the sit.e is underlain by a seismic fault of undetermined age. The report states that a severe seismic shock could result in horizontal or vertical movement in the order of a few feet at or near the surface of the site.

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{ Our firm has designed structures which we know are located near seismic faults. In each case we have felt it our obligation to in-l  ! form our client of the risk involved, and admit that we cannot design a structure which will withstand undamaged an earth movement of even a few inches. If the owner knows the risks involved and the struc-l ture under consideration does not pose a threat to public safety l in the event of its collapse, I believe construction in a zone of k.nown seismic activity is. justifiable.

The P.G.&E. nuclear reactor presents a different problem.

Damage to this structure could threaten public safety. Perhaps the Bonilla-Schlocker report exaggerates the magnitude and probab-ility of earth movement. The fact remains that neither the amount of recorded seismic data nor the state of the structural engineer.i.ng ar,t is presently sufficient to design against fault movements direc-tly underlying a structure. Until quite recently even California engineers based seismic design procedures on static force concepts.

! The dynamic design procedure developed by the Structural Engineers I '

Association is a significant step in the right direction, but few I

of.us pretend that this procedure is anything more than a rational guess. Each new earthquake provides more data and enables us to.

  • l l devise more sophisticated analyses which reduce the magnitude of

] .our probable error, but it will be years, perhaps centuries, before we can present a client with a close approximation of seismic risks and we will never be able to design a rigid structure capable of l

resisting without damage a severe fault movement through the struc- ,

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l-i Mr. Glenn T. Seaborg .

Pege 2 4 January 22, 1964  :

I believe that under the circumstances the Bodega Head site should be abandoned.

It is unfortunate that P.G.&E. has already {

spent substantial sums in plant design and site excavation, but the uncertainty of the geologic and seismic conditions seems suf-ficient to justify suspension of construction. Collapse of the Baldwin fault, Hills Reservoir, which may be due to an unmapped seismic reactor at illustrates the possible consequence of building a nuclear Bodega Head.

I f , si,ncere'ly yours , .

. Rutherford & CNekene .

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John B. Rutherford JBR:cyb C.C. Governor Edmund G. Brown '

i Senator Thomas Kuchel g 6 a

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'" "RUTHERFmD & CHEXEE "*{'91%""**

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John B. Rutherford x OTH ER:

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Ltr. stating that under the circumstances , - 11 -2 9 i

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(uncertainty of the geologic. and seismic / JL l. -Petco: ~

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be abandoned.

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OFFICE OF THE CHAIPJiAN l

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TO: 3N For Information For appropriate handling For preparation of reply for Chaiman's signature For discussion at Commissioners' Infomation Meeting For distribution to other Commissioners

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N/ Howard C. Brown, J r.

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For the Chairman

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