DECONTAMINATION OF LAND TARGETS, VEHICLES, AND EQUIPMENT,

Abstract

The objective of this project is to develop and test radiological countermeasures that can be used in post-nuclear-attack recovery operations. The specific objective of this phase of the project was to conduct decontamination experiments on exterior surfaces made radioactive with small-particle simulant, and to conduct decontamination studies on railroad tracks, transportation vehicles, and mechanical equipment used for radiological recovery operations. The following conclusions were based on the results of these studies: (1) Hosing and sweeping reclamation techniques when applied to 20- to 75-micron fallout on land targets are less effective than when applied to larger particle ranges. (2) The reclamation techniques of air and water hosing are of limited effectiveness when applied to railroad track areas. The passage of fast trains can be expected to effectively remove fallout from the track area under the train. (3) Vehicles and equipment contaminated with fallout should be decontaminated to reduce a significant potential dose from such contamination. They are effectively decontaminated by dry manual and air-hosing procedures, and in some cases, by weathering effects. First-echelon effort with a broom is adequate and reasonable. (4) The presence or use of water, especially in below-freezing weather, can adversely affect the decontamination of vehicles and equipment. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 01, 1966
Accession Number
AD0632989

Entities

People

  • J. C. Maloney
  • J. L. Meredith

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Contamination
  • Countermeasures
  • Decontamination
  • Freezing
  • Land Transportation
  • Mechanical Equipment
  • Particles
  • Railroad Tracks
  • Railroads
  • Reclamation
  • Recovery
  • Surface Transportation
  • Tracks
  • Transportation
  • Transportation Infrastructure

Readers

  • Environmental Engineering.
  • Nuclear Civil Defense.
  • Sensor Fusion and Tracking Systems.