Resilient Tunnel Plug

The Resilient Tunnel Plug (RTP) is a scalable technology that is intended to plug rail, automotive, or other tunnels from threats, including water.  The development system was a 16.2 ft diameter, 32 ft long inflatable structure capable of long term operation of 17psi.  It was configured to deploy from a container mounted inside the tunnel.  The inflation system pressurizes the plug rapidly and maintains its pressure over its operational life.

The Department of Homeland Security Science & Technology Directorate led the RTP development program which included Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, West Virginia University and ILC Dover.  The RTP was originally developed for isolating sections of rail transit tunnels in response to an event such as: