Safeguarding DOE’s Defense Nuclear Facilities Against Earthquakes

Multiple Sites, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Hanford Site

Earthquakes pose a major threat to defense nuclear facilities, and many DOE sites are in locations with elevated earthquake hazards.


Reviewing Structural Design of the Plutonium Facility

Our Work

Following DNFSB Recommendation 2009-2, Los Alamos National Laboratory Plutonium Facility Seismic Safety, DNFSB worked with DOE to conduct testing and develop a state-of-the-art model to ensure the Plutonium Facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory would prevent the release of radioactive material following a significant increase in predicted earthquake strength.

Our Safety Impact

DOE conducted laboratory testing of column capitals representative of those found in the Plutonium Facility to determine the actual extent of damage that would occur in an earthquake. The results indicated that the Plutonium Facility’s column capitals will perform as designed.
 

Pictured: Plutonium Facility Column Capital Testing at the University of Nevada (left); wrapping a column in a reinforced polymer as part of testing (right).

 

 

Studying DOE’s Seismic Risks

Our Work

DNFSB has worked toward strengthening DOE’s nuclear safety guidance to ensure that modern science is used to predict the strength of earthquakes on a routine basis, facility structures and safety systems are promptly assessed to determine whether they can withstand the new hazard, and deficient systems are retrofitted in a timely manner.

Our Safety Impact

DOE issued an Operating Experience document to disseminate guidance to its facilities on how to address the DNFSB’s safety concerns in May 2023.


 

Seismic hazard map produced by the US Geological Service and annotated with the location of DOE’s sites with defense nuclear facilities (left); trenching conducted as part of investigations of historical earthquakes at Los Alamos National Laboratory (right)
Pictured: Seismic hazard map produced by the US Geological Service and annotated with the location of DOE’s sites with defense nuclear facilities (left); trenching conducted as part of investigations of historical earthquakes at Los Alamos National Laboratory (right).

 

 

Identifying Structural Integrity Issues at the Hanford Site

Our Work

DNFSB identified a vulnerability in the Reduction-Oxidation Plant canyon structure at the Hanford Site that increased the possibility of a collapse during and after an earthquake, which would allow the release of radiological material.

Our Safety Impact

As a result, DOE and its contractor upgraded the roof structure to eliminate the vulnerability. This action resulted from staff-to-staff discussions.
 

Hanford Site Reduction-Oxidation Plant (left), with workers performing repairs on the roof (right).
Pictured: Hanford Site Reduction-Oxidation Plant (left), with workers performing repairs on the roof (right).

 

 

Last Updated: March 23, 2026