Ukrainian company unveils reinforced concrete shelters to protect critical infrastructure
Ukrainian company L7 has showcased a series of reinforced concrete shelter designs for critical infrastructure and industrial facilities at the SECURITY 2.0 exhibition in Kyiv.
Source: Oboronka, a defence industry project created by Mezha.Media, a technology and IT news platform within Ukrainska Pravda's holding company
Details: The shelters are assembled from prefabricated components produced within Ukraine.
Among the exhibits are Fortetsia ("Fortress") shelters, designed for both civilian and industrial use. L7 presented eight standard models aimed at protecting the most vulnerable energy facilities.
The structures employ various construction techniques depending on the size of the building they safeguard. Options include single-vault prefabricated modules, key-block assemblies or shaped reinforced concrete panels. The completed shelters are reinforced with buttresses, which stabilise the structures while dissipating explosive forces in the event of a blast.
The single-vault modules or concrete panels have walls 300 mm thick. Notably, shelters can be mounted on standard concrete slabs without foundations, significantly reducing construction time.
For large fuel storage tanks, the Barbet model forms a circular perimeter from heavy reinforced concrete elements, reinforced with buttresses. It acts as a shield, absorbing and dispersing blast waves from explosive munitions.
Shelters for petrochemical rectification columns of petrochemical companies employ key blocks with removable tops, allowing maintenance without dismantling the entire structure. If the columns require maintenance with replacement of units, equipment installation can take place after removing the reinforced concrete cover.
L7 has also developed the Bastion key-block shelter to protect large generators, offering rapid assembly in open spaces.
The Citadel shelter for protecting energy transformers features a similar design. However, the structure is reinforced with an additional protective layer of concrete panels joined together in a closed frame. The two layers provide more effective protection against shaped-charge munitions, as the main force of the projectile is absorbed by the outer layer, causing significantly less damage to the inner shelter.
Protective structures have also been developed for oil‑cooling units, compressors and gas pipeline metering stations. The latter are a priority target for Russian strikes because this is where underground pipelines rise to the surface at metering stations. Destroying these sections can halt operations across the entire pipeline.
All arched‑type shelters are also fitted with two reinforced concrete slabs at each end. These can be removed to allow maintenance of the equipment inside.
Basic protective structures withstand a vertical blast wave of 100 kilopascals (for example – detonation of a 152 mm artillery shell). Arched Fortetsia shelters have been tested at proving grounds with nearby and direct detonations against the structure itself.
Serial production of the shelters is underway in two Ukrainian cities. L7 representatives have reported strong interest not only from domestic clients but also from European countries, with demand surging following the Russian drone attack on Poland on 10 September.
Background: Oboronka has earlier reported on a Tactical Technology company's new ground robotic system for firefighting at military and energy facilities that was unveiled at the SECURITY 2.0 exhibition in Kyiv.
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