[en] In 1977 and 1978, five first-of-a-kind full scale tests of spent-nuclear-fuel shipping systems were conducted at Sandia Laboratories. The objectives of this broad test program were (1) to assess and demonstrate the validity of current analytical and scale modeling techniques for predicting damage in accident conditions by comparing predicted results with actual test results, and (2) to gain quantitative knowledge of extreme accident environments by assessing the response of full scale hardware under actual test conditions. The tests were not intended to validate the present regulatory standards. The spent fuel cask tests fell into the following configurations: crashes of a truck-transport system into a massive concrete barrier (100 and 130 km/h); a grade crossing impact test (130 km/h) involving a locomotive and a stalled tractor-trailer; and a railcar shipping system impact into a massive concrete barrier (130 km/h) followed by fire. In addition to collecting much data on the response of cask transport systems, the program has demonstrated thus far that current analytical and scale modeling techniques are valid approaches for predicting vehicular and cask damage in accident environments. The tests have also shown that the spent casks tested are extremely rugged devices capable of retaining their radioactive contents in very severe accidents