Explosives Residues Resulting from the Detonation of Common Military Munitions: 2002-2006

Detonation of military munitions from live-fire and blow-in-place operations results in the deposition of explosives residues on training ranges. Residue accumulation may cause range availability restrictions and adversely affect training. As part of the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program and through support from the U. S. Army Garrison, Alaska, methodologies were developed for the sampling and analysis of residues. Several munitions were detonated and their residues examined to obtain an estimation of deposition rates for some common military munitions. This paper summarizes and compares tests conducted from 2002 through 2006 on mortar and howitzer rounds. Tests were conducted on snow-covered ice, thereby allowing residue quantification on a per-round basis. Explosives constituents investigated included trinitrotoluene (TNT), cyclotrimethlene-trinitramine (RDX), and cyclotetramethylene-tetranitramine (HMX). Analysis of test results indicates live-fire detonations are very efficient, resulting in about 3 x 0.0001% of the original explosive load in the residues. Blow-in-place detonations, when high order, average an order of magnitude more explosive residue, 3 x 0.001%. Rounds undergoing low-order detonation will be the most significant short-term source of explosives in the range. Corroded or ruptured dudded rounds are a greater long-term source. These estimates can be used as baseline input for range sustainability and maintenance planning.
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