michael walsh, marianne walsh, charles a. ramsey, sonia
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Quantifying Energetics Contamination for Live-Fire Training on
Military RangesQUANTIFYING ENERGETICS CONTAMINATION FOR LIVE - FIRE
TRAINING ON MILITARY RANGES
Michael Walsh, Marianne Walsh, Charles A. Ramsey,
Sonia Thiboutot, Guy Ampleman
Introduction
• Training with live ammunition is critical to maintain the combat efficiency of armed forces.
• This requires the expenditure of energetic materials at the firing points and downrange in impact areas.
• All energetics are not consumed during detonation, leaving residues on the range.
• Range managers and those involved with range sustainability need solid information on the impacts of live fire training on the environment.
Presentation Outline • Problem definition
• Test procedures
– High-order detonations
– Low-order detonations
Problem Definition
• Munitions contain explosive compounds that are detrimental to the water quality within training ranges.
• These compounds, when occurring above established limits, will adversely affect the environment and human health.
• If these compounds occur at high enough concentrations in groundwater, range use may be suspended, restricted, or terminated, and very expensive remediation (> €1B) may be required.
• An effective, defensible method to determine the environmental loading of various activities pertaining to training with live ordnance is needed.
Energetic Components Present In Military Explosives
Formulation Uses Major Energetic Chemical Ingredients
Composition B Howitzer rounds, mortar and
tank cartridges
TNT isomers and DNTs)
TNT Howitzer rounds Military-grade TNT
Composition A4 40-mm grenades; fuzes Military-grade RDX
Tritonal Air Force bombs Military-grade TNT, aluminum
Octol Antitank rockets, AAA Military-grade HMX and TNT
PAX-21 (IM) Mortar & Grenade munitions RDX, DNAN, Ammonium Perchlorate (AP)
IMX-101 (IM) Howitzer rounds DNAN, NQ, NTO
IMX-104 (IM) Mortar cartridges NTO, DNAN, RDX
Energetic Components Present In Military Propellants
Formulation Uses Major Energetic Chemical Ingredients
Single-base Howitzers NC, DNT
(<100 mm) Rockets
Triple-base Larger howitzer rounds NC, NG, NQ
Rocket propellant Large rockets AP, aluminum
Some of these compounds also appear in explosives
Sources of Residues from Training with Explosives on Impact Ranges
• Corrosion of surface and subsurface UXO
• Rupture of UXO items by detonations
• Low-order (partial) detonations
• Placement of rounds (live-fire tests)
• Determination of detonation (high- vs. low-order)
• Determination of affected area (plume)
• Obtaining a reproducible sample
An Elegant Solution: Sampling on Snow-covered Ice
• Separated from previous activities (including UXO)
• Easy to set up tests
• Easy determination of plume on snow surface
• Easy to collect samples
• Processing and analysis straightforward
Use MULTI – INCREMENT ® Sampling
– We use ≈100 for research
• Sample increment locations: – ≈ Evenly distribute through the
sampling unit starting at a random location in the first cell
Path of travel
Sampling
Unit
Testing of Munitions High-order Detonations
• Live rounds fired onto
mimic explosive train
• Snow surface sampled
• More difficult – Few,
• External donor charge
• Simulated a detonating
Insensitive Munitions – PAX-21, IMX-104
Weapon
System
Number
tested
Analyte
Plume
Howitzers
7 TNT 938 BDL —
* Mass of analyte per round estimated in plume
** As a percentage of the original mass of the analyte in the round
Test Results Conventional Rounds: Low-Order Detonations
Weapon
System
Site
Analyte
Plume
2 RDX/HMX 150 450,000 15 %
3 RDX/HMX 380 650,000 22 % * Mass of analyte per round estimated in plume (Collected chunks + analysis)
** As a percentage of the original mass of the analyte in the round
One low-order detonation = 1,000 high-order dets
Test Results Conventional Rounds: Blow-In-Place Detonations
Weapon
System
Number
tested
Analyte
Plume
Howitzers
7 TNT 2000 15 8.9E-05 %
Demolitions
* Mass of analyte per round estimated in plume
** As a percentage of the original mass of the analyte in the round + donor block
Test Results Conventional Rounds: Close-Proximity Detonations
Weapon
System
Low-order / Partial detonation 7 0.3 – 0.6 m
High-order detonation 1 0.5 m
Not recovered** 2 0.3 – 0.5 m * Visual assessment of damage to recovered “UXO”
** Round was ejected from the test area
Low Order Detonations
Test Results Conventional Rounds: Close-Proximity Detonations
Round
Distance
From
Detonation
Damage
Assessment*
Pieces
Recovered
4b 0.3 m Partial det 839 220 g 600 20%***
8a 0.5 m Low-order det 12 26 g — 1.1%
8b 0.5 m Pierced body 20 22 g 2 1.8%
9a 0.5 m Partial det 11 12 g — 1.0%
10a 0.5 m Low-order det 16 60 g 140 5.5%
* Visual assessment of damage to recovered “UXO”
** Mass recovered external to and intact munition
*** Percent of original mass of analyte in HE filler
Test Results: Conventional Munitions
residues: 10-3 to 10-6 % of original HE load
• Blow-in-place will leave slightly higher levels
of residues: 10-2 to 10-6 % of original HE load
• Low order detonations will leave high levels
of HE over a large area
• Close-proximity detonation outcomes varied
but most UXO compromised
• 12% of IHE
• 15% of IHE
Organic Compounds
Inorganic Compound
1
10
100
1000
10000
C u m u la
ve n u m b e r p ar
cl e s
Results: PAX-21
melted samples (0°C
Size ≈ 2 x 3 mm
Dartmouth µCT Scan
– Severe implications for range sustainability
• Drinking water limits very low (≈2 ppb)
• 98% of mass recovered in aqueous portion of sample at
0.1°C
• High-orders: 3 – 13 million L of water contaminated per round
• BIPs: 10 to 27 million L of water contaminated per round
Results: IMX-104
60-mm Mortar Rounds
81-mm Mortar Rounds
*Percent of original compound consumed during detonation
Results: IMX-104
melted samples
NTO
Results: IMX-104
– Implications for range sustainability?
• High solubility in water
• Toxicology tests not complete
Research Products • Developed method to obtain per-round post-
detonation energetic residue mass
high order without firing or external charges
• Conducted first close-proximity detonation
• Built detonation efficiency / residues table for
detonation and BIP of common munitions
• Field data will enable range managers to
assess impacts of training with live
munitions
Kiitos!
Kysymyksiä?
Michael Walsh, Marianne Walsh, Charles A. Ramsey,
Sonia Thiboutot, Guy Ampleman
Introduction
• Training with live ammunition is critical to maintain the combat efficiency of armed forces.
• This requires the expenditure of energetic materials at the firing points and downrange in impact areas.
• All energetics are not consumed during detonation, leaving residues on the range.
• Range managers and those involved with range sustainability need solid information on the impacts of live fire training on the environment.
Presentation Outline • Problem definition
• Test procedures
– High-order detonations
– Low-order detonations
Problem Definition
• Munitions contain explosive compounds that are detrimental to the water quality within training ranges.
• These compounds, when occurring above established limits, will adversely affect the environment and human health.
• If these compounds occur at high enough concentrations in groundwater, range use may be suspended, restricted, or terminated, and very expensive remediation (> €1B) may be required.
• An effective, defensible method to determine the environmental loading of various activities pertaining to training with live ordnance is needed.
Energetic Components Present In Military Explosives
Formulation Uses Major Energetic Chemical Ingredients
Composition B Howitzer rounds, mortar and
tank cartridges
TNT isomers and DNTs)
TNT Howitzer rounds Military-grade TNT
Composition A4 40-mm grenades; fuzes Military-grade RDX
Tritonal Air Force bombs Military-grade TNT, aluminum
Octol Antitank rockets, AAA Military-grade HMX and TNT
PAX-21 (IM) Mortar & Grenade munitions RDX, DNAN, Ammonium Perchlorate (AP)
IMX-101 (IM) Howitzer rounds DNAN, NQ, NTO
IMX-104 (IM) Mortar cartridges NTO, DNAN, RDX
Energetic Components Present In Military Propellants
Formulation Uses Major Energetic Chemical Ingredients
Single-base Howitzers NC, DNT
(<100 mm) Rockets
Triple-base Larger howitzer rounds NC, NG, NQ
Rocket propellant Large rockets AP, aluminum
Some of these compounds also appear in explosives
Sources of Residues from Training with Explosives on Impact Ranges
• Corrosion of surface and subsurface UXO
• Rupture of UXO items by detonations
• Low-order (partial) detonations
• Placement of rounds (live-fire tests)
• Determination of detonation (high- vs. low-order)
• Determination of affected area (plume)
• Obtaining a reproducible sample
An Elegant Solution: Sampling on Snow-covered Ice
• Separated from previous activities (including UXO)
• Easy to set up tests
• Easy determination of plume on snow surface
• Easy to collect samples
• Processing and analysis straightforward
Use MULTI – INCREMENT ® Sampling
– We use ≈100 for research
• Sample increment locations: – ≈ Evenly distribute through the
sampling unit starting at a random location in the first cell
Path of travel
Sampling
Unit
Testing of Munitions High-order Detonations
• Live rounds fired onto
mimic explosive train
• Snow surface sampled
• More difficult – Few,
• External donor charge
• Simulated a detonating
Insensitive Munitions – PAX-21, IMX-104
Weapon
System
Number
tested
Analyte
Plume
Howitzers
7 TNT 938 BDL —
* Mass of analyte per round estimated in plume
** As a percentage of the original mass of the analyte in the round
Test Results Conventional Rounds: Low-Order Detonations
Weapon
System
Site
Analyte
Plume
2 RDX/HMX 150 450,000 15 %
3 RDX/HMX 380 650,000 22 % * Mass of analyte per round estimated in plume (Collected chunks + analysis)
** As a percentage of the original mass of the analyte in the round
One low-order detonation = 1,000 high-order dets
Test Results Conventional Rounds: Blow-In-Place Detonations
Weapon
System
Number
tested
Analyte
Plume
Howitzers
7 TNT 2000 15 8.9E-05 %
Demolitions
* Mass of analyte per round estimated in plume
** As a percentage of the original mass of the analyte in the round + donor block
Test Results Conventional Rounds: Close-Proximity Detonations
Weapon
System
Low-order / Partial detonation 7 0.3 – 0.6 m
High-order detonation 1 0.5 m
Not recovered** 2 0.3 – 0.5 m * Visual assessment of damage to recovered “UXO”
** Round was ejected from the test area
Low Order Detonations
Test Results Conventional Rounds: Close-Proximity Detonations
Round
Distance
From
Detonation
Damage
Assessment*
Pieces
Recovered
4b 0.3 m Partial det 839 220 g 600 20%***
8a 0.5 m Low-order det 12 26 g — 1.1%
8b 0.5 m Pierced body 20 22 g 2 1.8%
9a 0.5 m Partial det 11 12 g — 1.0%
10a 0.5 m Low-order det 16 60 g 140 5.5%
* Visual assessment of damage to recovered “UXO”
** Mass recovered external to and intact munition
*** Percent of original mass of analyte in HE filler
Test Results: Conventional Munitions
residues: 10-3 to 10-6 % of original HE load
• Blow-in-place will leave slightly higher levels
of residues: 10-2 to 10-6 % of original HE load
• Low order detonations will leave high levels
of HE over a large area
• Close-proximity detonation outcomes varied
but most UXO compromised
• 12% of IHE
• 15% of IHE
Organic Compounds
Inorganic Compound
1
10
100
1000
10000
C u m u la
ve n u m b e r p ar
cl e s
Results: PAX-21
melted samples (0°C
Size ≈ 2 x 3 mm
Dartmouth µCT Scan
– Severe implications for range sustainability
• Drinking water limits very low (≈2 ppb)
• 98% of mass recovered in aqueous portion of sample at
0.1°C
• High-orders: 3 – 13 million L of water contaminated per round
• BIPs: 10 to 27 million L of water contaminated per round
Results: IMX-104
60-mm Mortar Rounds
81-mm Mortar Rounds
*Percent of original compound consumed during detonation
Results: IMX-104
melted samples
NTO
Results: IMX-104
– Implications for range sustainability?
• High solubility in water
• Toxicology tests not complete
Research Products • Developed method to obtain per-round post-
detonation energetic residue mass
high order without firing or external charges
• Conducted first close-proximity detonation
• Built detonation efficiency / residues table for
detonation and BIP of common munitions
• Field data will enable range managers to
assess impacts of training with live
munitions
Kiitos!
Kysymyksiä?