1 04 THE NAVY OCEAN ENGINEERING PROGRAM 



The primary test area for ocean engineering experiments is a four-by- 

 five-mile area located off the eastern side of the island. This is the area 

 where the full-scale Polaris underwater launch tests are conducted, and 

 where tests on the Navy's new Poseidon missile are being run. 



In this test area, graduated depths down to 4000 ft are available. A 

 bottom-mounted, two-dimensional underwater positioning system has been 

 installed, which is composed of precisely located navigation transponders 

 which can be used to track submerged objects and evaluate the accuracy of 

 vehicle sensors. In addition, portable underwater television and photo- 

 graphic equipment can be provided to observe and record test operations. 

 Other tests, primarily for radar equipment, underwater communications, 

 and telemetry, can be conducted in this area or in the generally uninstru- 

 mented area on the west side of the island. 



Future Sealab experiments are planned for the offshore area conmienc- 

 ing in the spring of 1968 with Sealab III. 



DEEP OCEAN SIMULATION LABORATORY 



The Deep Ocean Simulation Laboratory at the Navy Civil Engineering 

 Laboratory, Port Heuneme, California, has been established to simulate the 

 deep ocean environment in order to investigate the behavior of materials 

 and structural components. The facility consists of six permanently 

 mounted, 9 in. ID, 26 in. long, pressure vessels, one 18 in. ID, 26 in. long, 

 pressure vessel and three portable 9 in. vessels. All vessels have a 20,000 

 psi safe working capacity and use seawater as the pressurizing medium. The 

 permanently mounted vessels have the capability of varying the tempera- 

 ture from ambient to 0°C and monitoring factors such as salinity and 

 oxygen content. Provisions have been made for optical viewing, internal 

 lighting, and instrumentation connection inside these vessels. Plans for ex- 

 pansion include a 72 in. ID, 120 in. inside length, 5,500 psi pressure vessel 

 for use with sea water. 



The Deep Ocean Simulation Laboratory has been used to examine the 

 short and long term hydrostatic effects on structural materials and equip- 

 ment, such as concrete spherical hull models, acrylic windows, miniature 

 lights, lights and cameras for Sealab III, and buoyancy spheres for the 

 CURV vehicle. A Deep Ocean Test Instrument Placement and Observa- 

 tion System (DOTIPOS) has been designed to assist in situ investigation of 

 the ocean bottom to a 6000 ft depth. Tests will be performed such as in 

 situ vane-shear measurement of bottom soils and long-term settlement be- 

 havior of bottom soils. 



