Explosive residues from blow-in-place detonations of artillery munitions

Military live-fire training often generates unexploded ordnance (UXO) on training ranges. Explosive ordnance personnel typically render these UXO safe by blow-in-place (BIP) detonations using donor charges. These detonations potentially leave explosive residues on the soil surface where they may threaten ground water. The objective of this study was to determine the efficiency with which several donor charges consume energetic residues from heavy artillery rounds when used in BIP detonations. Residues from BIP of two types of mortars rounds and two types of artillery rounds with four donor charges were recovered from a large tarp after detonations. The binary donor charge produced limited residues for the mortar rounds, but was insufficient when used for larger rounds. TNT as a donor left significant quantities of TNT residue; therefore, it is a poor choice as a donor charge. C4 was the most effective for the larger rounds. Except for the binary charge, which left no detectable residue with the 60-mm mortar rounds, all donors left some residue, primarily RDX, in at least some replicates. Most of the mass was recovered within 15 meters of the detonation center. Results demonstrated that maximum detonation efficiency was achieved by the proper pairing of donor charge to round. Results also indicated that repeated BIP operations in the same location might lead to the building up of explosive contamination in surface soils.