Dahlgren Railgun

Electromagnetic Launch RDT&E Facility, Naval Support Facility Dahlgren – Dahlgren, VA

The Navy’s Electromagnetic Railgun testing facility was expanded to house and operate a more powerful advancement of the weapon. The railgun uses electricity instead of chemical propellants to launch projectiles up to 5,600 mph.
As Prime contract holder and Structural Engineer of Record, Woods Peacock provided design and construction administration services which included:

• 10,000 SF addition to an existing pre-engineered metal building
• Foundations for new railgun and mounting
• 5,000 SF concrete Control Building
• 200 meter firing range
• Muzzle Antechamber
• Slug Catch Chamber
• Tactical Catch Chamber
• Trajectory Control Devices

The Control Building, which protects the monitoring equipment and personnel during test firing, was designed for some unusual loadings and the customized range structures were designed and detailed to provide downrange protection. A close working relationship with the tenants during design allowed for trouble-free installation of Government Furnished Equipment during the construction phase.
Additionally, this MILCON project involved the demolition of five buildings and an existing concrete (1,950 CY) gun foundation used to test 16-inch battleship mounted guns.

➢ Construction cost: $8.34 million