Characterization and Fate of Gun and Rocket Propellant Residues on Testing and Training Ranges: Interim Report 2

Bigl

Propellants Explo Pyrotec

et al. 2018

Self Cite

Testing of munitions for environmental impact is required in many countries as part of the life cycle assessment process. Although the post‐detonation mass and composition of metallic species are known, energetics residues from the detonation process are difficult to estimate. Past methods using detonation chamber testing and modeling have been shown to be problematic, especially with newer generation energetic materials. This paper describes a method of field‐testing munitions using command detonation systems for static rounds that simulate live‐fire high order detonations. Research demonstrates that results from command detonated high explosive rounds are similar to residues from rounds fired onto an ice‐covered impact area. The ability to substitute command detonations for live fire will enable the assessment of the environmental impact new munitions will have on training ranges prior to full development and certification. Data may also be used to assess detonation efficiencies for explosive formulations as well as for energetic components in those formulations.

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physical Simulation of Live‐Fire Detonations using Command‐Detonation Fuzing

Bigl

Propellants Explo Pyrotec

et al. 2018

Self Cite

“…The sorption potential of explosives also seems low in general. For example, TNT, RDX, HMX, NG, 2, 4-DNT, and 2, 6-DNT have relatively low octanol-to-water partition coefficient (Log P) values (1.6, 0.87, 0.26, 1.62, 1.98, and 2.1; respectively) and thus are expected to be not strongly sorbed by soils, implying potential mobility in the biosphere [100,104,106,110,115,117]. Some studies suggest that TNT may be reversibly sorbed by soil [118][119][120].…”

Section: Contamination and Transformation Of Soil By Energetic Compoundsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil Contamination in Areas Impacted by Military Activities: A Critical Review

et al. 2020

Military activities drastically affect soil properties mainly via physical/chemical disturbances during military training and warfare. The present paper aims to review (1) physical/chemical disturbances in soils following military activities, (2) approaches to characterization of contaminated military-impacted sites, and (3) advances in human health risk assessment for evaluating potential adverse impacts. A literature search mainly covering the period 2010–2020 but also including relevant selected papers published before 2010 was conducted. Selected studies (more than 160) were grouped as follows and then reviewed: ~40 on the presence of potentially toxic elements (PTEs), ~20 on energetic compounds (ECs) and chemical warfare agents (CWAs), ~40 on human health risk assessment, and generic limits/legislation, and ~60 supporting studies. Soil physical disturbances (e.g., compaction by military traffic) may drastically affect soil properties (e.g., hydraulic conductivity) causing environmental issues (e.g., increased erosion). Chemical disturbances are caused by the introduction of numerous PTEs, ECs, and CWAs and are of a wide nature. Available generic limits/legislation for these substances is limited, and their contents do not always overlap. Among numerous PTEs in military-impacted zones, Pb seems particularly problematic due to its high toxicity, abundance, and persistence. For ECs and CWAs, their highly variable physiochemical properties and biodegradability govern their specific distribution, environmental fate, and transport. Most site characterization includes proper spatial/vertical profiling, albeit without adequate consideration of contaminant speciation/fractionation. Human health risk assessment studies generally follow an agreed upon framework; however, the depth/adequacy of their use varies. Generic limits/legislation limited to a few countries do not always include all contaminants of concern, their content doesn’t overlap, and scientific basis is not always clear. Thus, a comprehensive scientific framework covering a range of contaminants is needed. Overall, contaminant speciation, fractionation, and mobility have not been fully considered in numerous studies. Chemical speciation and bioaccessibility, which directly affect the results for risk characterization, should be properly integrated into risk assessment processes for accurate results.

“…Table 1 provides general bounds on munition order functioning by the observed efficiency of explosive-filler-mass consumption during detonation and associated residues deposition. The U.S. Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) and others developed these descriptors over 20 years of field experimentation and testing through SERDP † -sponsored research projects on residues characterization (ER-1155 [Pennington et al 2006], ER-1481[M. R. Walsh, Thiboutot, et al 2011], and ER-2219[M. R. Walsh et al 2017). These bounds are based on both observations made in the field and measurements of postdetonation material, with the filler-mass consumption efficiencies largely based on conventional (i.e., Composition B and TNT) munitions (e.g., Jenkins et al 2002;Hewitt et al 2005;.…”

Section: D90mentioning

confidence: 99%

Sieve stack and laser diffraction particle size analysis of IMX-104 low-order detonation particles

Bigl¹,

Beal²,

Walsh³

et al. 2020

When an artillery round undergoes a low-order detonation during live-fire training or an unexploded ordnance clearance operation, up to 25% of the round's energetic contents are scattered over a small, localized area, sometimes less than 100 m 2. Training-range fate and transport models require an accurate representation of the particle-size characteristics of the material left behind from low-order detonations. This study investigated using laser diffraction particle size analysis to characterize 26 samples collected from four low-order command-detonated 81 mm mortar bodies filled with IMX-104. The refractive index of IMX-104 was estimated using an iterative recalculation technique on a Horiba LA-960 that yielded 1.845 0.01i. Of the 25 triplicate analyses conducted using this value, 12 passed the USP <429> measurement standard with 9 of the remaining samples found to have had a reduction in particle size during analysis that caused artificially high coefficient of variance values. The cumulative percent of particle sizes determined by laser diffraction and sieve stack differed by 0%-21.9% (median = 0.2%-7.2%). In addition, the higher resolution results of the laser diffraction particle size analysis, especially for particles smaller than 0.5 mm, make it the preferred method of analysis. DISCLAIMER: The contents of this report are not to be used for advertising, publication, or promotional purposes. Citation of trade names does not constitute an official endorsement or approval of the use of such commercial products. All product names and trademarks cited are the property of their respective owners. The findings of this report are not to be construed as an official Department of the Army position unless so designated by other authorized documents.