Your thoughts on a underground hide

I take it that you are speaking of the metal shipping containers? I had thought of that myself for the retreat. Now I'm glad I didn't try it. There's a rancher out here who managed to get his hands on some massive wooden shipping crates. He turned them into emergency shelters for his ranch hands. They were re-enforced every possible way but Iwouldn't want to bury one.

 

Concrete Canvas - Inflatable Concrete Buildings: Science Fiction in the News
here is one version.

Concrete Canvas Shelter, An Inflatable Concrete Building
and here is another.

 

If I were to bury a shipping container, I would sleeve it completely in concrete, using the container as the inside form.

 

JFYI, quoting (reply) will flag someones attention, but you can also do it this way, @Snake_Doctor .

 

Thanks for the tip and links Kellory. I'm sorely lacking in computer skills.

 

I'm no guru, myself. your welcome.

 

Yes, we did see it before. That is what brought it to mind. If I remember correctly, they were designed for emergancy shelters, emergancy hospitals rooms, and could be sandbagged completely, since they form a concrete arch. I'm sure either manufacture could supply loading info about them.

 

The first one I looked at kind of reminds me of the monolithic domes

 

Definitely, I'd look at using a fiberglass tank or underground shelter to bury, as they're designed for the dirt load on top. Bedding in gravel or sand is good, as either one will provide stability.

If you need to worry about water drainage around the shelter, you can use pea gravel, and bury a pierced PVC drainage pipe under the gravel, to carry the water away (much like a French drain). You'll probably have to use a "ditch witch" (not our very own, but a machine designed like a big honkin' chainsaw, utilized to dig a narrow trench) to trench the drain line to a lower elevation (remember, drain lines need to have a drop of at least 1/4" per foot of horizontal travel). You can also utilize the tool to dig more shallow trenches you'll need, if you plan on having ventilation ducting coming in from mulitple directions, and/or electrical lines to carry power from solar panels to batteries, to power lights and ventilation fans you'll need.

As you can see, there's more to having an underground shelter than simply burying a box under the dirt!

 

What ever you do be absolutely sure of natural drainage to a lower point--also could double as an escape tunnel. Bud put his under his cabin a foot down with a poured reinforced roof. Chimney is his entrance and the pillars conceal his ports into his cabin "sewage" pipes. That way there are no visible pipes or vents to show what is there. Wish I had been that smart.

 

Fellow in NC mts has been on the survival show building a doomsday/survival castle. The thing is just a big target with way too many weak/vulnerable points. To begin with everyone knows about it and will be intent on having it's contents.

 

i had an engineere geek at work do some number and it wouldnt take to much beefing up to burry a container but steal aint cheap!!!

 

I know a prepper that has an underground shelter stocked for years of anything they could possibly need. But the entrance is a ground level hatch in his backyard so he has to pop up through it like a prairie dog. I pointed out to him that he was exposed and pretty much helpless when he came out, and that anybody could have all he had for the cost of a single round of .22lr. He was not pleased, and his paranoia went through the roof. He began talking cover building (which I said would surely not draw any attention in the almost exact center of his yard.) And cameras, (which certainly wouldn't draw any attention either). Apparently I'm a big ol' party pooper and not welcome there if there's a TEOTWAWKI. And his even more paranoid wife says I can't play with him anymore. SMH.

 

What about an old steel boxcar? I lived in one that had been converted into a small one bedroom home.

 

Box car is a superb idea. No matter what you use do not forget the static load of material against he sides/top. Putting in some strong petitions gives you privacy and strength to keep you "home" from becoming your grave. Coat what ever you use with a double layer of water proofing material plus draping it with rubber roofing or at least heavy plastic sheathing all the way to the rock bed drain field. Like that box car idea as many already have insulation and plywood interiors. Makes an old school bus seem flimsy--lol.

 

Yup. and they can be had cheaper than containers I'm guessing.

 

Bet an insulated car would work great especially if one sprayed the outside with foam after waterproofing. That thing would be a snap to maintain warm living conditions.