The general approach, physical concepts, and methods employed in the actual development of the equipment are discussed. The equipment and its capabilities are described. A brief summary of concurrent reports that describe results of studies of response in granular media is presented. The summary indicates that the significant parameters have been correctly identified from theoretical mechanics and suitably measured, since results demonstrate relationships between stress-strain behavior and propagating waves in laboratory devices. The report also summarizes the broad range of protective construction problems which lend themselves to study in this equipment. These include such studies as the effects of reflection phenomena, the effects of layered media, soil-structure interaction in a high-stress field, and the evaluation of disturbances in free-field conditions caused by the presence of a gauge. The latter is shown to be possible by virtue of the ability to measure soil response without placing a gauge in the soil or attaching one to the sample. (Author).