[CPEO-MEF] Attenuating UXO detonation

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

The July-September, 2001 edition the "The Corps Environment" contains an
article describing a creative, but low-tech (and low-cost) solution to
the field detonation of unexploded ordnance (UXO). Traditionally, when
UXO is too dangerous to move, technicians have covered it with earth or
sandbags before setting off, to attenuate the blast. "The problem with
both of these methods is sometimes secondary fragments are thrown some
distance from the blast," reports  Jean Pavlov of the Army Corps'
Huntsville Center.

At Fort Ord this April, the Army Corps and its contractor, Parsons
Infrastructure and Technology, demonstrated an alternative. They placed
a small, inflatable wading pool over an item of simulated UXO and filled
the pool with water before detonating. It not only minimized the impact
of the blast, but - important to Fort Ord - it reduced the chance of
accidental fire.

"The pool helps to minimize, or attenuate, the effects of the UXO
detonation. It tends to quench the hot metal frag as it leaves the point
of explosion, while also cooling the fireball so that flames and smoke
are not as strong."

To read the article, download the entire 16-page newsletter as a 468K
PDF file from
http://hq.environmental.usace.army.mil/newsinfo/current/The_Corps_Environment.pdf
The article is on page 8.

-- 


Lenny Siegel
Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
c/o PSC, 222B View St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
lsiegel@cpeo.org
http://www.cpeo.org

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