Geophysical Survey at Cluster 6, Westwood Area, U.S. Army Aberdeen Proving Ground.

Abstract

A geophysical investigation was conducted at Cluster 6 Site 5, located in Westwood Area of the U.S. Army Aberdeen Proving Ground. This site is the former Westwood Area Radioactive Material Disposal Facility (WRMDF) which was used for processing and packaging radioactive waste material prior to disposal. Original structures at the site included Building 3013 and adjacent concrete slabs where the waste handling work was performed, a small equipment shed, and a wastewater holding and drain system which included tanks in a concrete pit. Discharge of wastewater from the tanks was to Reardon Inlet, located a short distance south of the tank pit. Possible release of radioactive waste to the environment would have been due to either spillage, leakage, or discharge from the wastewater system. Two terra cotta pipelines, one on the western end and one of the eastern end, extended from Building 3013 to Reardon Inlet. The east pipeline handled low-level radioactive wastewater. The west pipeline was the original wastewater line and it is presumed that radioactive wastewater was not discharged through this line. After radioactive waste handling activities were discontinued at WRMDF, the west pipeline system was upgraded to include a septic tank, sand filter bed, and a chlorine contact chamber. The structures associated with the WRMDF were removed during the early 1970's, including the concrete tank pit. Both pipelines are visible near the edge of Reardon inlet, suggesting that the pipes and related structures have not been removed. Geophysical surveys including magnetics, electromagnetics (EM), and ground penetrating radar, were performed to identify the location of the two terra cotta pipes, septic tank, and sand filter bed.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 01, 1995
Accession Number
ADA294543

Entities

People

  • Danny W. Harrelson
  • Janet E. Simms
  • Michael K. Sharp

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Sensors

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Chlorine
  • Concrete
  • Detection
  • Electromagnetic Fields
  • Engineering
  • Engineers
  • Environment
  • Geophysics
  • Ground Penetrating Radar
  • Health
  • Magnetic Fields
  • Materials
  • Measurement
  • New York
  • Radioactive Materials
  • Radioactive Pollutants
  • Radioactive Wastes

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Environmental Engineering.
  • Hydraulic Engineering.
  • Military/Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Technology