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{{Redirect|Strongroom|the film|Strongroom (film){{!}}''Strongroom'' (film)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{short description|Secure space where valuable items are stored}}
A '''bank vault''' is a secure room used by banks to store and protect valuables, cash, and important documents. Modern bank vaults are typically made of reinforced concrete and steel, with complex locking mechanisms and security systems. This article covers the design, construction, and security features of bank vaults.
[[File:WinonaSavingsBankVault.JPG|thumb|300px|This large 24-bolt [[Diebold]] vault door at the Winona National Bank was built in the early 1900s. On the right is the back side of the open door. To the right of the door's center are two linked boxes for the combination mechanisms and to the left is a four-movement [[time lock]]. This door has a four-point system for pressing the door into its opening (note the two [[wikt:stanchion|stanchions]] left of the door opening) capable of exerting one third of the door's weight in closing force. Since this door weighs {{convert|22.5|short ton}} this system is capable of applying {{convert|7.5|STf}} inward.]]
Unlike [[Safe|safes]], vaults are an integral part of the building within which they are built, using armored walls and a tightly fashioned door closed with a complex [[Lock (security device)|lock]].

Historically, strongrooms were built in the basements of banks where the ceilings were [[Vault (architecture)|vaulted]], hence the name. Modern bank vaults typically contain many [[safe deposit box]]es, as well as places for teller cash drawers and other valuable assets of the bank or its customers. They are also common in other buildings where valuables are kept such as post offices, grand hotels, rare book libraries and certain government ministries.

Vault technology developed in a type of arms race with bank robbers. As [[burglar]]s came up with new ways to break into vaults, vault makers found new ways to foil them. Modern vaults may be armed with a wide array of alarms and anti-theft devices. Some 19th and early 20th century vaults were built so well that today they are difficult to destroy, even with specialized [[demolition]] equipment.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mankatofreepress.com/news/local_news/demolition-crew-cracks-the-old-u-s-bank-vault/article_40b8808c-c42c-11e4-8929-a3b126a0fa7a.html|title=Demolition crew cracks the old U.S. Bank vault|date=6 March 2015 |access-date=10 August 2018|archive-date=16 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200416235528/https://www.mankatofreepress.com/news/local_news/demolition-crew-cracks-the-old-u-s-bank-vault/article_40b8808c-c42c-11e4-8929-a3b126a0fa7a.html|url-status=live}}</ref> These older vaults were typically made with [[Reinforced concrete|steel-reinforced concrete]]. The walls were usually at least 1&nbsp;ft (0.3 m) thick, and the door itself was typically 3.5&nbsp;ft (1.1 m) thick. Total weight ran into the hundreds of tons {{crossreference|(see [[Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland]])}}. Today vaults are made with thinner, lighter materials that, while still secure, are easier to dismantle than their earlier counterparts.{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}}

==Design==
[[File:Vault of a retail bank under demolition.tiff|thumb|200px|Vault of a retail bank under demolition]]
Bank vaults are custom-designed and are usually one of the first elements considered when planning a new bank building. The vault manufacturer works with the bank to determine specifications like size, shape, and security features. Modern vaults are typically constructed using steel-reinforced modular concrete panels engineered for maximum strength and crush resistance. A 3-inch thick panel of specialized concrete can be up to 10 times stronger than an 18-inch panel of standard concrete.

Bank vaults are typically made with steel-reinforced concrete. This material was not substantially different from that used in construction work. It relies on its immense thickness for strength. An ordinary vault from the middle of the 20th century might have been 18 in (45.72&nbsp;cm) thick and was quite heavy and difficult to remove or remodel around. Modern bank vaults are now typically made of modular concrete panels using a special proprietary blend of concrete and additives for extreme strength. The concrete has been engineered for maximum crush resistance. A panel of this material, though only 3 in (7.62&nbsp;cm) thick, may be up to 10 times as strong as an 18 in-thick (45.72-cm) panel of regular formula concreted.

There are at least two public examples of vaults withstanding a nuclear blast.  The most famous is the Teikoku Bank in [[Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki|Hiroshima]] whose two [[Mosler Safe Company]] vaults survived the atomic blast with all contents intact.  The bank manager wrote a congratulatory note to Mosler.<ref>{{cite web|title=Letters of Note: Your Products are Stronger than the Atomic Bomb | date=16 September 2010 | url=http://www.lettersofnote.com/2010/09/safe.html |access-date=16 September 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100919151038/http://www.lettersofnote.com/2010/09/safe.html| archive-date= 19 September 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Unbreakable: Hiroshima and the Mosler Safe Company |date=26 August 2010 |url=http://conelrad.blogspot.com/2010/08/unbreakable-hiroshima-and-mosler-safe.html |publisher=CONELRAD Adjacent |access-date=26 August 2010 |archive-date=13 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110813222916/http://conelrad.blogspot.com/2010/08/unbreakable-hiroshima-and-mosler-safe.html |url-status=live }}</ref> A second is a vault at the [[Nevada National Security Site]] (formerly the Nevada Test Site) in which an above ground Mosler vault was one of many structures specifically constructed to be exposed to an atomic blast in Operation Plumb Bob - Project 30.4:[https://books.google.com/books?id=kDOLHBMgByAC Response of Protective Vaults to Blast Loading].<ref>{{cite journal|title=A Nuclear Family Vacation| journal=Slate | date=11 July 2005 | url=http://www.slate.com/id/2122382/entry/2122387/ |publisher=Slate Magazine |access-date=11 July 2005| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20050713012637/http://www.slate.com/id/2122382/entry/2122387/| archive-date= 13 July 2005 | url-status= live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Slate's Well-Traveled: A Nuclear Family Vacation|newspaper=NPR.org|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4755708|publisher=NPR|access-date=15 July 2005|archive-date=6 August 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050806073311/http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4755708|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Manufacturing process==

===Panels===
[[File:Immeuble du Crédit Lyonnais (siège).jpg|240px|thumbnail|right|[[Fichet-Bauche|''Fichet Paris'']], Vault of [[Crédit Lyonnais]] ]]

The wall panels are molded first using a special [[reinforced concrete]] mix. In addition to the usual cement powder, stone, etc., additional materials such as metal shavings or abrasive materials may be added to resist drilling penetration of the slab. Unlike regular concrete used in construction, the concrete for bank vaults is so thick that it cannot be poured. The consistency of concrete is measured by its "[[Concrete Slump Test|slump]]". Vault concrete has zero slump. It also sets very quickly, curing in only six to 12 hours, instead of the three to four days needed for most concrete.<ref>{{cite web|title=Discovery Channel (UK) How Do They Do It? (Season 3 / Episode 7 / Part 2) Diebold Vault Construction (YouTube)|website = [[YouTube]]|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oefNi2iNFEo|access-date=28 December 2010}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead YouTube link|date=February 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Hercvlite Vault Panels |url=http://www.vaultstructures.com/hercvlite.php |access-date=28 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101217144147/http://www.vaultstructures.com/hercvlite.php |archive-date=17 December 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*A network of reinforcing steel rods is manually placed into the damp mix.
*The molds are vibrated for several hours. The vibration settles the material and eliminates air pockets.
*The edges are smoothed with a [[trowel]], and the concrete is allowed to harden.
*The panels are removed from the mold and placed on a truck for transport to the customer's construction site.

===Door===
The vault door is also molded of special concrete used to make the panels, but it can be made in several ways. The door mold differs from the panel molds because there is a hole for the lock and the door will be clad in stainless steel. Some manufacturers use the steel cladding as the mold and pour the concrete directly into it. Other manufacturers use a regular mold and screw the steel on after the panel is dry.

Round vault doors were popular in the early 20th century and are iconic images for a bank's high security.  They fell out of favor due to manufacturing complexities, maintenance issues (door sag due to weight) and cost, but a few examples are still available.<ref>{{cite web |title=Vault Structure Inc. Round Vault Doors |url=http://www.vaultstructures.com/round.php |access-date=28 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110411044420/http://www.vaultstructures.com/round.php |archive-date=11 April 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=VSI 360 Round Vault Door |url=http://fspa1.com/pdf/Round_Vault_Door.pdf |access-date=28 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711045334/http://fspa1.com/pdf/Round_Vault_Door.pdf |archive-date=11 July 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

A day gate is a second door inside the main vault door frame used for limited vault protection while the main door is open.  It is often made of open metal mesh or glass and is intended to keep a casual visitor out rather than to provide true security.<ref>{{cite web|title=Installation Instructions for Overly GSA Class 5 Vault Door|url=http://www.overly.com/door/tech/docs/ins-gsaCL5.pdf|publisher=Overly Door Company|access-date=28 December 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715024825/http://www.overly.com/door/tech/docs/ins-gsaCL5.pdf|archive-date=15 July 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Lock===
A vault door, much like the smaller burglary safe door, is secured with numerous massive metal bolts (cylinders) extending from the door into the surrounding frame.  Holding those bolts in place is some sort of lock.  The lock is invariably mounted on the inside (behind) of the difficult-to-penetrate door and is usually very modest in size and strength, but very difficult to gain access to from the outside.  There are many types of lock mechanisms in use:
*A [[combination lock]] similar in principle to that of a padlock or safe door is very common.  This is usually a mechanical device but products incorporating both mechanical and electronic mechanisms are available, making certain safe cracking techniques very difficult.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kaba-MAS X-09 and CDX-09 High Security Locks|url=http://www.kaba-mas.com/pdf/brochures/x_09.pdf|pages=8|date=Dec 2010|access-date=28 December 2010|archive-date=14 March 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050314012811/http://www.kaba-mas.com/pdf/brochures/x_09.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>
*Some high-end vaults employ a two piece key to be used in conjunction with a combination lock. This key consists of a long stem as well as a short stamp which should be safeguarded separately and joined to open the vault door.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Scott Selby & Greg Campbell|url=https://www.scottselby.com/flawless|title=Flawless: Inside the Largest Diamond Heist in History|publisher=Sterling|year=2010|pages=148–149|access-date=24 August 2021|archive-date=15 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210815161257/https://www.scottselby.com/flawless|url-status=live}}</ref>
*A dual control (dual custody) combination lock has two dials controlling two locking mechanisms for the door.  They are usually configured so that both locks must be dialed open at the same time for the door to be unlocked.  No single person is given both combinations, requiring two people to cooperate to open the door. Some doors may be configured so that either dial will unlock the door, trading off increased convenience for lessened security.
*A [[time lock]] is a clock that prevents the vault's door from opening until a specified number of hours have passed. This is still the "theft proof" lock system that Sargent invented in the late nineteenth century. Such locks are manufactured by only a few companies worldwide. The locking system is supplied to the vault manufacturer preassembled.
* Many [[safe-cracking]] techniques also apply to the locking mechanism of the vault door.  They may be complicated by the sheer thickness and strength of the door and panel.

===Installation===
*The finished vault panels, door, and lock assembly are transported to the bank construction site. The vault manufacturer's workers then place the panels enclosed in steel at the designated spots and weld them together. The vault manufacturer may also supply an alarm system, which is installed at the same time. While older vaults employed various weapons against burglars, such as blasts of steam or tear gas, modern vaults instead use technological countermeasures. They can be wired with a listening device that picks up unusual sounds, or observed with a [[CCTV|camera]]. An alarm is often present to alert local police if the door or lock is tampered with.

==US resistance standards==
[[Quality control]] for much of the world's vault industry is overseen by [[Underwriters Laboratories|Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.]] (UL) in Northbrook, Illinois. UL rates vaults based on their resistance to mock break-in attempts. Key points of the UL-608 standard include:

* Testing uses common hand tools, power tools, and cutting torches
* A breach is defined as a 96 square inch hole or disabling of locking bolts
* Only active working time is counted (excludes setup, breaks, etc.)
* Does not test resistance to [[thermal lance]] or explosives
* Applies to the door and all vault sides
* Separate standards cover locks, ventilation, and alarms

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Rating
!Time to Breach Vault
|-
|Class M
|15 minutes
|-
|Class I
|30 minutes
|-
|Class II
|60 minutes
|-
|Class III
|120 minutes
|-
|}

==European resistance standards==
As with the US, Europe has agreed a series of test standards to assure a common view of penetrative resistance to forcible attack.<ref>{{cite web|title=Requirements on strongrooms in cast in-situ and/or pre-fabricated construction ECB-S R03|url=http://www.ecb-s.com/_data/EN_ECBS_R03_Guideline.pdf|publisher=ECB-S|access-date=4 September 2017|archive-date=16 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200416235529/https://www.ecb-s.com/_data/EN_ECBS_R03_Guideline.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> The testing regime is covered under the auspices of [[Euronorm]] 1143-1:2012 (also known as BS EN 1143-1: 2012),<ref>{{cite web|title=Red Book Live, Part 4, Section 2|url=https://www.redbooklive.com/pdfdocs/redbook-vol2part4.pdf|publisher=LPCB|access-date=4 September 2017|archive-date=4 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170904200245/https://www.redbooklive.com/pdfdocs/redbook-vol2part4.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> which can be purchased from approved European standards agencies.<ref>{{cite web|title=BS EN 1143-1:2012 - Secure storage units. Requirements, classification and methods of test for resistance to burglary. Safes, ATM safes, strongroom doors and strongrooms|url=https://shop.bsigroup.com/ProductDetail/?pid=000000000030249975|website=shop.bsigroup.com|access-date=4 September 2017|archive-date=4 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170904210030/https://shop.bsigroup.com/ProductDetail/?pid=000000000030249975|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Standards|first1=European|title=EN 1143-1|url=https://www.en-standard.eu/csn-en-1143-1-secure-storage-units-reguirements-classification-and-methods-of-test-for-resistance-to-burglary-part-1-safes-atm-safes-strongroom-doors-and-strongrooms/?gclid=CjwKCAjw87PNBRBAEiwA0XAIryThemGNylzv3FWMy0tYHBB3sdTDkqhcsWZR07QygpMIgpSxp9CaoBoCcRoQAvD_BwE|access-date=4 September 2017|language=en|archive-date=4 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170904200203/https://www.en-standard.eu/csn-en-1143-1-secure-storage-units-reguirements-classification-and-methods-of-test-for-resistance-to-burglary-part-1-safes-atm-safes-strongroom-doors-and-strongrooms/?gclid=CjwKCAjw87PNBRBAEiwA0XAIryThemGNylzv3FWMy0tYHBB3sdTDkqhcsWZR07QygpMIgpSxp9CaoBoCcRoQAvD_BwE|url-status=live}}</ref>

Key points include:
[[File:Core Drill.jpg|240px|thumbnail|right|A modern highly portable core drill]]
[[File:Explosive Breach Training at Camp Ethan Allen Training Site 130511-Z-WM282-951.jpg|240px|thumbnail|right|An explosive door breaching test]]
*Standard covers burglary resistance tests against free-standing [[safe]]s and [[Automated teller machine|ATM]]s, as well as strongrooms and doors
*Tests are undertaken to arrive at a grade (0 to XIII) with two extra resistance qualifiers (one for the use of explosives the other for [[core drill]]s)
*Test attack tools fall into five categories with increasing penetrative capability, i.e. Categories A–D and S
*Penetration success is measured as partial (125mm diameter hole) or full (350mm diameter hole)
*Considers only the time actually spent working (excludes setup, rests, etc.) 
*EN 1143-1 makes no claims as to the fire resistance of the vault
*EN 1300 covers high security locks, i.e. four lock classes (A, B, C and D)<ref>{{cite web|title=EN 1300 Locks|url=http://www.ecb-s.com/_rubric/index.php?rubric=ESSA+EN+Products+Categories+Locks|website=www.ecb-s.com|access-date=5 September 2017|archive-date=18 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418124029/http://www.ecb-s.com/_rubric/index.php?rubric=ESSA+EN+Products+Categories+Locks|url-status=live}}</ref>
*Applies to the door and all vault sides.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Resistance Grade
!Resistance Value to Breach Vault
!Lock Quantity
!Explosive Rating Possible
!Core Drill Rating Possible
|-
|0
|30
|One
|No
|No
|-
|I
|50
|One
|No
|No
|-
|II
|80
|One
|Yes
|No
|-
|III
|120
|One
|Yes
|No
|-
|IV
|180
|Two
|Yes
|No
|-
|V
|270
|Two
|Yes
|No
|-
|VI
|400
|Two
|Yes
|No
|-
|VII
|600
|Two
|Yes
|No
|-
|VIII
|825
|Two
|Yes
|Yes
|-
|IX
|1050
|Two
|Yes
|Yes
|-
|X
|1350
|Two
|Yes
|Yes
|-
|XI
|2000
|Two or Three
|Yes
|Yes
|-
|XII
|3000
|Two or Three
|Yes
|Yes
|-
|XIII
|4500
|Two or Three
|Yes
|Yes
|-
|}

==Future==

Bank vault technology changed rapidly in the 1980s and 1990s with the development of improved concrete material. Bank burglaries are also no longer the substantial problem they were in the late 19th century up through the 1930s, but vault makers continue to alter their products to counter new break-in methods.

An issue in the 21st century is the [[thermal lance]]. Burning iron rods in pure oxygen ignited by an oxyacetylene torch, it can produce temperatures of {{Convert|6600–8000|F}}. The thermal lance user bores a series of small holes that can eventually be linked to form a gap. Vault manufacturers work closely with the banking industry and law enforcement in order to keep up with such advances in burglary.{{As of?|date=September 2024}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==

=== Books ===
* Steele, Sean P., ''Heists: Swindles, Stickups, and Robberies that Shocked the World.'' New York: Metrobooks, 1995. {{ISBN|1-56799-170-X}}.
* Tchudi, Stephen, ''Lock & Key: The Secrets of Locking Things Up, In, and Out.'' New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1993. {{ISBN|0-684-19363-9}}.

=== Periodicals ===
* Chiles, James R., [https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/74738260/Creepers_Soupmen_and_Yeggs.pdf_ITM "Age-Old Battle to Keep Safes Safe from 'Creepers, Soup Men and Yeggs"]. ''[[Smithsonian (magazine)|Smithsonian]]'' (July 1984): 35–44.
* Merrick, Amy, [http://www.brownsafe.com/categories/press/press_article_2007_WSJournal.html "Immovable Objects, If They're Bank Vaults, Make Nice Restaurants"]. ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' (5 February 2001): Al.

==External links==
{{Portal|Banks}}
{{Commons category|Bank vaults}}
* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303223330/https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/74738260/Bank_Vault_Anatomy.pdf |date=3 March 2016 |title= Bank Vault Anatomy}} - A semi-technical guide to bank vaults built in the early 1900s; includes [https://www.flickr.com/photos/cantonviaduct/11671440064/in/set-72157638399634436 Remote Combination Viewer Vault] information
* [http://www.cmi-gold-silver.com/blog/15-impenetrable-bank-vaults "15 Most Impenetrable Bank Vaults"], accessed 28 December 2010.
* [http://www.madehow.com/Volume-7/Bank-Vault.html "Bank Vault (madehow.com)"], accessed 28 December 2010.
* [http://www.fas.org/irp/doddir/army/ar380-5/v.htm "AR 380-5 Chapter V Safekeeping and Storage"], U.S. DOD standard for secret material storage displayed by Federation of American Scientists, accessed 28 December 2010.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110728015227/https://portal.navfac.navy.mil/portal/page/portal/NAVFAC/NAVFAC_WW_PP/NAVFAC_NFESC_PP/LOCKS/PDF_FILES/X-09_Operating_Instructions.pdf "Operating Instruction for the X-09 Type 1F High Security Electronic Lock"], U.S. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, accessed 28 December 2010.
* [https://1drv.ms/b/s!Ar4DqTVY4ahUkhzma7_RCmZkcTMm?e=o51889 "Vault Door Crane Hinge Configurations"]

{{Man-made and man-related Subterranea}}

[[Category:Banking|Vault]]
[[Category:Rooms]]
[[Category:Security engineering]]