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Post by The Urban Mythbuster on Jul 2, 2014 2:42:11 GMT
I was watching "Under the Dome" (limited production series based on a novel by Stephen King) last night and saw something that made me scratch my head and think 'that can't be right'. A character was trapped in an underground fallout shelter after the metal entry door slammed closed and was covered by an oil tank and various other debris. I estimate about 600-800 pounds of metal total. He duct tapes four grenades to the door, one at each corner, and ties a string to each pin - attaching all four strings into one pull string.
He pulls the string, blows out the door & all the debris - and there are no ill effects of the explosion within the shelter, he is fully unharmed (he hid behind a mattress before pulling the pins).
So, key questions: 1) Could four grenades provide enough explosive force to blow out that much weight? 2) Would the shelter (and its occupant) be completely unscathed after the explosion?
*Would Stephen King join the MBs as a consultant on this?
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Post by the light works on Jul 2, 2014 4:47:55 GMT
so, three myths. I am thinking #1 would probably be no. number 2 would likely be no, depending on the size of the shelter. number 3 would depend on his contract with the studio producing under the dome.
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Post by silverdragon on Jul 2, 2014 13:28:57 GMT
How big was the shelter. If a very enclosed space, not a chance of survival. If there was no place to shelter away from the door, then the shrapnel from grenades would also kill. Hide behind a mattress?.. that not even waterproof, let alone debris proof.. and I suspect debris at bullet speeds.... The door.... how thick?... If that door is a fall-out shelter door of the type suggested to protect from Nuclear fallout, and not just a fall out with next door, then its going to be very heavy?... I suspect four grenades will not be enough to move it very far. If the door is also prevented from opening by debris behind that door, I suspect that door is not for opening at all.
After all, many doors "Of that type" were designed to be "Blast proof", to a certain degree of blast.. you know, like a nuclear blast?....
One at each corner... if you were trying to open the door on its hinges, the further away from the hinge, the more force you get. If you were trying to blast it off its hinges, good luck with that, a fall out shelter door has very large hinges that are hugely strong.
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Post by The Urban Mythbuster on Jul 2, 2014 13:48:48 GMT
Based on times the door was opened during the series, I'd estimate the door itself weighed in the neighborhood of 40-50 pounds. The shelter did appear to be a nuclear fallout shelter about 10' x 15' in size.
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Post by the light works on Jul 2, 2014 14:16:47 GMT
Based on times the door was opened during the series, I'd estimate the door itself weighed in the neighborhood of 40-50 pounds. The shelter did appear to be a nuclear fallout shelter about 10' x 15' in size. so to be clear - fallout shelter, and not blast shelter.
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Post by The Urban Mythbuster on Jul 2, 2014 14:22:31 GMT
correct, it appears to be a standard Cold War-era residential fallout shelter
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Post by the light works on Jul 2, 2014 14:59:29 GMT
correct, it appears to be a standard Cold War-era residential fallout shelter I still tend to think the door will serve to direct the grenade blast into the shelter, rather than the grenade blast blowing the door out of the shelter... its that whole "blast propagates in inverse proportion to resistance" thing
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Post by The Urban Mythbuster on Jul 2, 2014 15:05:05 GMT
correct, it appears to be a standard Cold War-era residential fallout shelter I still tend to think the door will serve to direct the grenade blast into the shelter, rather than the grenade blast blowing the door out of the shelter... its that whole "blast propagates in inverse proportion to resistance" thing I have to agree with you there. Right now, I'm actually thinking back to the Macgyver [Episode #100: Macgyver Special (2008)] jailbreak myth where they tested using sodium + water to blast a hole in a cinderblock wall and buried it in sand in an attempt to direct the blast at the wall. (It failed...turns out cinderblock walls are stringer than they seem)
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Post by the light works on Jul 2, 2014 15:08:27 GMT
I still tend to think the door will serve to direct the grenade blast into the shelter, rather than the grenade blast blowing the door out of the shelter... its that whole "blast propagates in inverse proportion to resistance" thing I have to agree with you there. Right now, I'm actually thinking back to the Macgyver [Episode #100: Macgyver Special (2008)] jailbreak myth where they tested using sodium + water to blast a hole in a cinderblock wall and buried it in sand in an attempt to direct the blast at the wall. (It failed...turns out cinderblock walls are stringer than they seem) and duct tape directs explosions very poorly...
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Post by The Urban Mythbuster on Jul 2, 2014 15:43:54 GMT
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Post by silverdragon on Jul 3, 2014 7:36:42 GMT
Ten by 15 foot, "Small room", four grenades will increase the air pressure inside, perhaps enough to blow doors of by that pressure differential, but, it would also collapse the lungs of anyone inside?...
And Remember...
Michael Cain....
Tum, cant get your video to work, any other source?....
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Post by The Urban Mythbuster on Jul 3, 2014 12:47:47 GMT
I am still searching for just clips of the video. CBS might lock their video from viewing in other countries.
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Post by silverdragon on Jul 5, 2014 7:20:48 GMT
I think that more of a CBS DO block viewing from "Foreign" countries.... They are extremely racist about who can and cant watch their video's.
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Post by ponytail61 on Jul 6, 2014 0:52:33 GMT
I cut together the highlights for those who can't see it. Full screen mode may help.
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Post by silverdragon on Jul 6, 2014 7:38:54 GMT
That wasnt exactly a blast proof door was it?... more "Tin sheet" than anything?... I also suspect a petroleum explosion shown.
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Post by The Urban Mythbuster on Jul 7, 2014 2:59:07 GMT
I cut together the highlights for those who can't see it. Full screen mode may help. Thanks for posting that Ponytail! Very appreciated!
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Post by ponytail61 on Jul 7, 2014 3:57:25 GMT
I cut together the highlights for those who can't see it. Full screen mode may help. Thanks for posting that Ponytail! Very appreciated! Not a problem. Gave me a chance to play with some software I rarely use. Keeps me from forgetting how to use it. I think the reason some can't see it is because it's being streamed by American ISPs. I have the same problem seeing some BBC content.
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Post by OziRiS on Jul 7, 2014 10:16:24 GMT
Thanks for posting that Ponytail! Very appreciated! Not a problem. Gave me a chance to play with some software I rarely use. Keeps me from forgetting how to use it. I think the reason some can't see it is because it's being streamed by American ISPs. I have the same problem seeing some BBC content. Same problem here. My GF watches that Canadian cop show, Rookie Blue, and they advertise that they have webisodes on globaltv.com. I've tried all kinds of proxy servers, but nothing gets through so we can watch them. Back to the myth: I agree with TLW. So much so that my first instinct was to pretty much write what he wrote. He just beat me to it Quote: "I still tend to think the door will serve to direct the grenade blast into the shelter, rather than the grenade blast blowing the door out of the shelter... its that whole "blast propagates in inverse proportion to resistance" thing"
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Post by The Urban Mythbuster on Jul 7, 2014 12:43:06 GMT
The two (testworthy) issues with the depicted result are: 1) The amount of explosive force in four grenades. 2) The fact that nothing was harmed inside the shelter. It would be interesting to see the MBs test this one. Buster hasn't been blown up or filled with schrapnel in a while...
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Post by the light works on Jul 7, 2014 14:02:01 GMT
The two (testworthy) issues with the depicted result are: 1) The amount of explosive force in four grenades. 2) The fact that nothing was harmed inside the shelter. It would be interesting to see the MBs test this one. Buster hasn't been blown up or filled with schrapnel in a while... This is true.
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