CHAPTER 9
ADVANCED BASE FIELD STRUCTURES AND
EMBARKATION
The primary responsibility of the Seabees is the
construction of advanced bases during the early phases
of crises and other emergency situations. As Builders,
it is our job to move swiftly to hostility areas and build
temporary facilities and structures to support U.S. mili-
tary operations. We are expected to react expediently.
The most widely used structure for expediency
and as a temporary facility is the preengineered
building. This chapter covers the process involved
with the erection of such buildings, as well as wood-
frame tents, latrines, and the process of embarkation.
PREENGINEERED BUILDINGS
LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Upon completing
this section, you should be able to explain the
principles and procedures involved in the
preparation and erection of preengineered
metal buildings.
The preengineered building (PEB) discussed here
is a commercially designed structure, fabricated by
civilian industry to conform to armed forces specifica-
tions. A preengineered structure offers an advantage in
that it is designed for erection in the shortest possible
time. Each PEB is shipped as a complete building kit.
All necessary materials and instructions for erection are
included. Preengineered structures are available from
various manufacturers.
The typical PEB is a 40- by 100-foot structure. The
20- by 48-foot PEB is a smaller version of the 40- by
100-foot PEB using the same erection principles. Lay-
out and erection of either size PEB is normally assigned
to Builders.
PREPLANNING
A preplan of the erection procedures should be
made based on a study of the working drawings or
manufacturers’ instructions. Preplanning should in-
clude the establishment of the most logical and expedi-
tious construction sequence. Consideration should be
given to the manpower, equipment, rigging, and tools
required. Everything necessary for erection should then
be procured. The advantages of constructing and using
jigs and templates for assembling parts of similar
trusses, frames, and so on, should also be evaluated.
Although Builders must be familiar with the layout
and erection procedures for both the 40- by 100-foot
and the 20- by 48-foot PEBs, we will use the 20- by
48-foot rigid-frame, straight-walled PEB as the model
for our discussion. This building is prefabricated and
shipped in compact crates ready for erection. Each
structure is shipped as a complete kit, including all
materials and an instruction manual. It is extremely
important to follow the manual; you can easily install a
part incorrectly.
The 20- by 48-foot rigid-frame building is designed
for erection with basic hand tools and a minimum
number of people. The instruction manual may suggest
the PEB can be erected by seven persons. For military
construction, though, two teams or work crews super-
vised by an E-6 are recommended. The building is
designed for erection on a floor system of piers, con-
crete blocks, or a concrete slab.
When completed, a single rigid-frame building is
easy to expand for additional space. Buildings can be
erected end to end, as in figure 9-1, or side by side “in
multiple.” As this type of building uses only bolted
connections, it can be disassembled easily, moved to a
new location, and re-erected without waste or damage.
Component Parts
The component parts of a prefabricated structure
are shipped knocked down (KD). A manufacturer’s
instruction manual accompanies each shipment. The
manual contains working drawings and detailed in-
structions on how the parts should be assembled. Direc-
tions vary with different types of structures, but there
are certain basic erection procedures that should be
followed in all cases.
Working Drawings
The working drawings show which items are not
prefabricated or included in the shipment. These must
be constructed in the field. Make plans in advance for
the procurement of necessary materials for these
items. Foundations, for example, are often designated
“to be constructed in the field.”
9-1
