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Neutrino Detector Transport

Barnhart's assignment was to receive two neutrino detectors, which were shipped from Europe, at a port in Burns Harbor, Indiana,and stage and transport them to Batavia, Illinois. Barnhart received the detectors from ships gear to 14 lines of THP trailer and they were staged onsite while resting on the trailers. From the outside, the two detectors looked like extra-large shipping containers, but inside the walls were lined with incredibly delicate panels of wires.

Transportation of the detectors began once the permits were approved by the Indiana and Illinois DOT. The fragility of the cargo required taking several measures. The detectors had to be moved on a Goldhofer to limit the amount of deflection and required precise shimming when loaded. They also needed to be continuously supported during the transport, while traveling at reduced speeds.

Since the shells of the detectors were aluminum, Barnhart had to ensure that their securement chains did not make contact and damage the shells. In addition, the crew had to ensure that all trees along the route were sufficiently trimmed back to eliminate the risk of damage due to contact with limbs.

While the trip was only 250 miles, it took three days to complete due to the sensitivity of the detectors. Efficient planning and coordination by the team resulted in a project that was completed safely.