Energetic Residues from Blow-in-Place Detonation of 60-mm and 120-mm Fuzed High-Explosive Mortar Cartridges
Abstract
Military live-fire training missions frequently result in unexploded ordnance on training ranges. Disposal of the rounds, often done in situ, is necessary in some cases for range safety or maintenance. In February 2008, the U.S. Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory teamed with the 716th Explosive Ordnance Disposal detachment at Fort Richardson, AK, to detonate two series of seven 60-mm and 120-mm fuzed high-explosive (HE) rounds to determine the resulting energetic residues. Each round was detonated using a single block of C4 (91% RDX) as a donor charge. All rounds were separated to allow each detonation plume to be sampled as a distinct decision unit. Samples were collected from the snow surface using multi-increment sampling for residues analysis. The 60-mm plumes averaged 200 mg of HE, 0.022% of the original mass. The 120-mm plumes averaged 25 mg of HE, 7.1 x 10(exp -4%) of the original mass. Quality assurance procedures were conducted both in the field and at the laboratory to ensure data fidelity.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2008
- Accession Number
- ADA491353
Entities
People
- Alan D. Hewitt
- Charles M. Collins
- Michael R. Walsh
Organizations
- Engineer Research and Development Center