Mechanical Mockup of the Vertical Drift Field Cage for the DUNE Far Detector

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is a US flagship long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment that hopes to answer fundamental questions about one of the most elusive particles in our universe, the neutrino. DUNE has two locations: Fermilab, where the neutrino beam is produced and the Near Detector is located, and the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF), where four large Liquid Argon Time Projection Chambers (LArTPCs) will be installed 1,300 meters below ground. For the Vertical Drift Far Detector, the High Energy Physics group at University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) is responsible for part preparation and eventual construction of a large field cage measuring 13m x 13m x 60m. The uniformity of the electric field is essential in the reconstruction of neutrino interaction events. With detector construction planned for the late 2020’s, it becomes increasingly important to ensure that such a large but precise field cage can be built efficiently. A mechanical mockup was performed at CERN as proof that the field cage can be installed safely. We discuss here the tactics developed to ensure the necessary precision in field cage construction and installation.