Impacts of a Severe Road Tunnel Fire on Transportation of Spent Nuclear Fuel - 11583

In October 2007 just north of Los Angeles, California, a chain-reaction accident involving numerous tractor trailers in the I-5 "Newhall Pass" truck bypass tunnel occurred. This accident also involved an intense fire that damaged the concrete walls of the tunnel and required the tunnel to be closed for repairs. The objective of the work described in this paper was to determine the maximum exposure temperature in the tunnel and evaluate the conditions likely to be found in this fire. The study included analyses of material recovered from the incinerated vehicles. A simulation of the Newhall Pass tunnel fire, using the Fire Dynamics Simulator code developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, is also being completed. A discussion of the results of this study as well as the potential implications of this accident for the transportation of spent nuclear fuel by truck is provided. NOMENCLATURE