The use of Rigid Polyurethane Foam as a landmine breaching technique

Thumbnail Image
Files
useofrigidpolyur00alba.pdf (4.11 MB)
Authors
Alba, Albert L
Subjects
Explosives
Landmine
Rigid Polyurethane Foam
Countermine
Advisors
Maruyama, X.K.
Date of Issue
1997-12
Date
December 1997
Publisher
Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
The results of a feasibility test using Rigid Polyurethane Foam (RPF) as an operational anti-personnel mine counter-mine technique are presented. RPF, at a given density and thickness, can withstand the explosive effects of anti- personnel blast mines and mitigate or neutralize the effects of surface laid anti-vehicular mines. A 12-inch thick, 4 pound per cubic foot foam block completely contained a 10 gram explosive charge of PETN while a 30-inch foam block with the same density contained a 30 gram charge. A 24-inch thick pad supported 50 passes of an M88A2 Recovery Vehicle, crushing the foam no more than 2-3 inches throughout the length of a 56 foot foam roadway. Underneath this roadway, simulated land mines set at 14 psi were not detonated by the passage of an M88A2 and a HMMWV. Our experiments indicate that RPF can provide additional traction in muddy conditions and set-off explosives connected to trip wires. The pressure and trafficability experiments were conducted at the Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, MS in July-August 1997, and the explosive experiments were conducted at the Energetic Materials Research and Testing Center (EMRTC) of the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM in August and October 1997
Type
Thesis
Description
URI
https://hdl.handle.net/10945/9114
Series/Report No
Department
Department of Physics
Organization
Naval Postgraduate School
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funding
Format
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.
Collections
Theses