A Pilot Experiment to Develop a Lightweight Non-Nuclear EMP Shelter Applying Civil-Military Cooperation in a Sustainability Policy

Kukjoo Kim,Kyung-Ryeung Min,Young-Jun Park

doi:10.3390/su122410669

Abstract

The goal of future wars is to incapacitate national core infrastructures through cyberattacks and electronic wars. The use of high-tech arms including high-power electronic weapons, laser weapons, and railguns to achieve a precise strike, minimum cost, and neutralization is gradually increasing. Considering the nuclear provocation and non-nuclear electromagnetic pulse (NNEMP) threats from North Korea, it has become urgent for Korea to expand its EMP protection systems. Hence, the need for developing a protective technology lighter than the conventional EMP protection technology is continuously being raised. However, no facility has applied such a lightweight protection technology thus far. Thus, this study tests the performance of a lightweight electromagnetic (EM) shielding material and evaluates the possibility of building a lightweight NNEMP shelter by installing the material. Among the commercially available EM shielding materials, only those appropriate for lightweight purpose are selected. Accordingly, the EM shielding performances of nine fabric types, five film types, and four wallpaper types are tested. For testing, a pan-type EM shielding room 2.5 m × 3.0 m × 2.5 m was constructed with a shielding performance of 80 dB at 18 GHz. The measurement method was based on the IEEE-STD-299 standard, and 10 frequencies from 14 kHz to 18 GHz were used. The result showed that the shielding performance was the highest in the 100 MHz band in most cases. In the high-frequency band above 1 GHz, the shielding performance was almost equal to, or slightly lower than, that in the 100 MHz band. This study confirms the feasibility of building lightweight NNEMP shelters in major military and civil facilities. If the NNEMP shelters to be constructed in military and civil facilities are replaced with lightweight shelters, approximately 49,862.4 tons of CO2 emissions due to the concrete saved can be reduced per shelter. Assuming the Korean carbon transaction price to be USD 50/ton-CO2, the saving amounts to US $2,493,120, contributing to the green growth policy of Korea.

Highlights

IntroductionThe safety of major infrastructure facilities must be secured and systematic protection plans for realizing a response system to high-power EM attacks devised
Considerable attention has to be paid to the installation method when the shielding performance is tested after installing a material in the shielding room
This study tested the performances of several lightweight electromagnetic pulses (EMP) shielding materials, following which conclusions about a more efficient EMP protection technology were drawn through actual installation and performance measurement

Summary

Introduction

The safety of major infrastructure facilities must be secured and systematic protection plans for realizing a response system to high-power EM attacks devised. Protecting the electronics of major information and communication infrastructures from high-power electromagnetic pulses (EMP) is crucial to the national security [1,2]. The EMP protection measures for the major target facilities in Korea are fairly poor considering that the EMP provocation by North Korea might result in serious social confusion [3,4]. The present social infrastructures are being operated in connection with electric, electronic, information and communication systems for the convenience of informatization and automation; in the event of any failures due to a high-power EMP, enormous damage to the entire social and national safety systems would result [5,6]

Objectives

Results

Conclusion