Air Inflated Portable Maintenance Shelter

The need for adequate shelter for maintenance and repair of construction and toher types of equipment at polar camps motivated development of a portable maintenance shelter. The shelter is a commercially available pneumatic structure composed of an air inflated frame and a nylon-reinforced polyvinyl chloride cover. The 22- by 22-foot shelter is adequate for the repair and maintenance of equipment as large as a size 6 snow tractor. From the field test at Williams Field, Antarctica it was concluded that if fabrication techniques can be improved the shelter will be suitable for use at temporary camps or other facilities in polar regions. However, additional testing is required to determine its durability and low-temperature limitations.