New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology Awards
- Project Name: Explosive Research and Testing
Awarding Agency: US Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center
Project Summary:
The Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Technology Division (NSWC IHEODTD) is tasked with developing new explosive formulations to the Navy for use on both land and underwater. In addition, our EOD division is continuously characterizing new improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and developing new methods to defeat and render safe. The research project will utilize technical expertise and support for explosive test efforts conducted by NSWC IHEODTD and may include setting up experiments, high speed recording systems and instrumentation, gathering and reducing data.
Outcome:
The research project led by NMT / EMRTC provided technical expertise and support for explosive test efforts conducted by NSWC IHEODTD including experiments, high speed recording systems and instrumentation, gathering and reducing data as follows: 1. Completed test reports and reduced data from experiments, 2. Drawings of any designed test fixtures or equipment, 3. Materials purchased for this research programs, 4. Traveled to NSWC IHEODTD (Indian Head, MD) or nearby ranges to complete the experiments. - Project Name: Measuring Impulse Load from Anti-Ram Perimeter Wall Debris Due to a Vehicle Borne Improvised Device (VBIED)
Awarding Agency: Office of Physical Security Programs
Project Summary:
The primary focus of this work is to investigate the impulsive loading the VBIED fragments generate above the impulse from the blast itself. The Bureau of Diplomatic Security is interested in continuing the investigation of this phenomenon by capturing data resulting from a Design Basis Threat detonation in close proximity to the DS-30 Anti-Ram wall at a specific setback and charge weight. The project aims to: Capture time of arrival data of blast wave, Capture time of arrival data of wall debris , Capture displacement of the reaction structure, Capture stress and strain of reaction structure’s lateral bracing members, Capture airblast impulse loading on the structure, Capture debris impulse loading on the structure, Identify trends or unique characteristics of these types of events.
Outcome:
The project completed the research objectives: 1. Inspection and Rehabilitation of the Test Structure, 2. Modeling and Analysis for the Design of New Bracing and Rigid Cladding System with Appropriate Connections, 3. Test Structure Construction, Test Support, Wall Construction, Test Execution, and the project Final Report. In addition, the project produced the Rehabilitation design to include applicable calculations, modeling, and design drawings, Rehabilitated test structure, DS-30 concrete perimeter wall, Blast test, Test videos and all instrumentation data files, Quick look reports and project annual reports. - Project Name: Development of Passive Drone Defensive System
Awarding Agency: Office of Physical Security Programs
Project Summary:
The Department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security, Research and Development Branch (DS/PSD/R&D) has identified explosive laden unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) as a real and present threat to our facilities aboard. Under the “Close in Blast Testing of Glazing Systems” program R&D is determining the standoff necessary to maintain the integrity of our hardened facilities in the event of an explosive attack by a UAV, this effort is to develop a passive system that will stop a drone at the required standoff. The ultimate goal of this effort is to develop modular Passive Drove Defeat Systems (PDDS) designs that are comprised of commercially off the shelf (COTS) available components that are able to maintain standoff between UAVs and facilities.
Outcome:
In developing the modular Passive Drone Defeat System (PDDS) of materials comprised of commercially of the shelf (COTS) component, the research executed the following activities: 1. Determined Acceptable Catchment Materials by assessing performance, cost, aesthetics, ease of installation, durability, post attack integrity, determined materials suitability for COTS UAVs, 2. Developing a Non-Proprietary Mounting System, and 3. Proof of Concept Testing. and a Quick Look Report containing test descriptions, raw gauge data, processed gauge data, high resolution photos and videos, and documented descriptions of layup and witness panel condition post-test. - Project Name: Wall Blast Test Debris Characterization and Debris Ballistic Window Testing
Awarding Agency: Office of Physical Security Programs
Project Summary:
The Department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security, Research and Development Branch (DS/PSD/RD) is evaluating the effect debris caused by a VBIED placed directly next to a DS Anti-Ram wall has on has on forced entry, and blast resistant (FE/BR) windows and doors installed in our embassies worldwide. Before component testing can be conducted on FE/BR and blast windows it is first required to understand how a DS-30 Anti-Ram wall breaks up when subjected to the Dept. of States VBIED design basis threat (DBT) at 24” of standoff. This includes capturing the dimensions, weight, composition (steel, concrete, steel and concrete), and velocity of the debris. Once these factors are known appropriate debris surrogates can be manufactured and tested against specified windows and doors.
Outcome:
This research project requires pre-testing knowledge of FE/BR blast windows prior to any experiment. As such, capturing data on how a DS-30 Anti-Ram wall breaks up means collecting dimension, weight, composition (steel, concrete, or steel and concrete), and the velocity of debris. The project completed the following tasks: 1. Debris characterization and, 2. FE/BR blast response. - Project Name: ANFO as Open Detonation Donor Material
Awarding Agency: Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense
Project Summary:
This project shall evaluate and down select a commercially available domestic emulsified explosive for use a donor material in open detonation munitions demilitarization. The effort will focus on evaluating commercially produced Ammonium Nitrate (AN) based explosives used by the mining industry. Such explosives are tailored for the type of rock that is present at the mine or quarry. The technology for tailoring these explosives is quite mature. This project will evaluate emulsion explosives.
Outcome:
The project plan executed the following activities: Conducted a series of field and range tests to characterize the explosive performance of flake TNT and experimentally baseline it against the performance of AN-based explosive, an Analytical study of experimental data will determine the relative performance of AN-based explosives against Flake TNT in conducting OD operations. Range testing will served to verify the replacements applicability in actual Installation OD operations and familiarize Installation personnel with the material and its unique requirements, with reference to a) DA PAM 385-10 Army Safety Program, b) 3.2 AR 385-10, The Army Safety Program, c) 3.3 DA PAM 385-64, Ammunition and Explosives Safety Standards, d) 3.4 DI-MISC-80711A, Scientific and Technical Reports, d) 3.5 DI-QCIC-80553, Acceptance Test Plan, and e) Demil Transition Requirements. - Project Name: Explosive Research and Testing Support
Awarding Agency: United States Department of the Navy
Project Summary:
The Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Technology Division (NSWC IHEODTD) is tasked with developing new explosive formulations to the Navy for use on both land and underwater. In addition, our EOD division is continuously characterizing new improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and developing new methods to defeat and render safe. NMT will perform research and testing of reactive materials to identify fragmentation behavior under varied launch and impact conditions. The work will include development of optical techniques and data analysis routines to extract fragment size, shape, and velocity from test data. NMT will assist NSWC IHEODTD in transitioning the diagnostics and analysis developed at NMT to NSWC test facilities.
Outcome:
The project conducted the research and testing of reactive materials to identify fragmentation behavior under varied launch and impact conditions. The work included development of optical techniques and data analysis routines to extract fragment size, shape, and velocity from test data. The project team will assist NSWC IHEODTD in transitioning the diagnostics and analysis developed at NMT to NSWC test facilities. The project completed the task of developing optical imaging and data analysis techniques to measure fragment size, shape, and velocity in addition to a) experiments on RM material fragmentation and b) support transition of techniques. - Project Name: Operation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to Host Gas Sensor Payload During OD Air Emissions
Awarding Agency: US Army CCDC Chemical Biological Center
Project Summary:
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Installations, especially demilitarization facilities and Army Ammunition Plants, have used Open Burning/Open Detonation (OB/OD) and static firing (SF) for decades as a safe, effective, and economic method for munitions demilitarization. DoD installations are required to comply with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) to operate OB/OD ranges. For the proposed study, NMTs multirotor UAS will be used to host the Kolibri package along with additional gas and imaging sensors. Due to payload limitations on the UAS, at least two configurations of the Kolibri will be used to satisfy the analyte-specific sampling needs. This means that the full suite of analytes can only be accomplished with two distinct samples but only one UAS flight at a time will occur.
Outcome:
The completed primary goal of conducting a series of live fire open detonation emissions sampling tests at a NMT/EMRTC demo range was supported by the development of the Comprehensive Plan, provided the SOP and Hazards Analysis Preparation Support for Testing, Oversaw the Operation of the UASs During Open Range OD Emissions Sampling, and Provided the Technical Data Package (TDP) and Final Project Report while providing support and managing the research program. - Project Name: Phase 2 Debris Effects from Anti-Ram Perimeter Wall on Forced Entry and Ballistic Resistant Glazings and Doors
Awarding Agency: Bureau of Diplomatic Security
Project Summary:
The Department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security, Research and Development Branch (DS/PSD/RD) is evaluating the effect debris caused by a VBIED placed directly next to a DS AntiRam wall has on has on forced entry, and blast resistant (FEBR) windows and doors installed in our embassy’s worldwide. The research objective is to conduct component testing of FEBR windows and doors as well as FEBR product surrogates (i.e. steel plates and pieces of laminated glass) by shooting debris surrogates, simulated by concrete shapes, at them in order to determine their response. The size, weight, and velocity of the debris surrogates will be determined by the debris data collected and analyzed during Phase 1 of this effort. The goal of the testing is to determine the impulse loading on the test specimens and level of protection that DOS certified FEBR doors and windows provide against debris projected during an explosive event.
Outcome:
The project successfully completed the test setup of the 1. Debris Surrogates at various levels of velocities per each weight category for different window and door test specimens. The philosophy was to push the FEBR products to the edge of failure but not to overmatch them. 2. Test Articles including the addition of laminated glass surrogates, 3. the Test Matrix based on order, velocities, and debris categories (~122 experiments). The research provided the Wall Debris Test Final Report, the Compiled 8 Pixel Data 2 4 Final, and Wall Debris Characterization Test Process. - Project Name: Reactive Armor Tile Pilot Scale Demilitarization Oven Demonstration
Awarding Agency: United State Department of the Navy
Project Summary:
This proposed system employs the favorable properties of a thermal treatment technology to eliminate the energetics, binders and other combustible material from reactive armor tiles. There is currently no demilitarization capability for the demilitarization of reactive armor tiles (“tiles”).
Outcome:
The objective of this initiative is to utilize an industrial type thermal treatment system for the evaluation and feasibility of the thermal destruction of reactive armor tiles while sampling emissions from a stack via ovens with required capabilities to meet the requirements of the experiments (such as size, weight, heat and fan capacity) and developing the equipment as a fully functioning system with the required hardware to conduct the demilitarization experiments. - Project Name: Explosive Research and Test Support
Awarding Agency: Naval Surface Warfare Center
Project Summary:
NMT/EMRTC will provide research, technical expertise, and support for explosive test efforts conducted by the Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Explosive Ordinance Disposal Technology Division through setting up experiments, high speed recording systems and instrumentation, gathering and reducing data (where test equipment may need to be designed and provided).
Outcome:
The research produced est reports and the reduced data from experiments while providing drawings/illustrations of any designed test fixtures or equipment. Materials purchased specific to this evaluation and testing program. - Project Name: Ammonium Nitrate/Fuel Oil/Donor Joint Munitions Command/Demil Capabilities Division (ANFO/DONOR JMC/DDC)
Awarding Agency: Energetic Materials Research and Testing Center
Project Summary:
This research will evaluate and down select a commercially available domestic emulsified explosive for use a donor material in open detonation munitions demilitarization. The effort will focus on evaluating commercially produced Ammonium Nitrate (AN) based explosives used by the mining industry.
Outcome:
The project completed series of field and range tests to characterize the explosive flake TNT and experimentally baseline it against the performance of AN-based explosives and verified the replacements applicability in actual installation OD operations and familiarize Installation personnel with the material and its unique requirements. - Project Name: Reactive Armor Tile Pilot Scale Demil Over Demonstration
Awarding Agency: Department of Defense
Project Summary:
The Energetic Materials Research and Testing Center at New Mexico Tech will develop, construct, and acquire necessary buildings, fixtures, and equipment to support the demilitarization of reactive armor tiles through large-scale testing of four (4) types of reactive tiles. The industrial thermal treatment system testing will consist of mounting tiles on rack in an oven at extremely high temperatures then, when cooled, to collect the energetic explosive residue data to inform of the most cost-effective manner to reduce/ and/or eliminate demilitarize stockpile items.
Outcome:
The objective of this initiative is to utilize an industrial type thermal treatment system for the evaluation and feasibility of the thermal destruction of reactive armor tiles while sampling emissions from a stack via ovens with required capabilities to meet the requirements of the experiments (such as size, weight, heat and fan capacity) and developing the equipment as a fully functioning system with the required hardware to conduct the demilitarization experiments. - Project Name: Advanced Ordinance Alternatives for Decisive On-Board Action
Awarding Agency: US Army Command, Control, Communication, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Center
Project Summary:
To meet the demands of an evolving threat landscape, CCDC-Armaments must have a robust, expanding, and intellectually talented and practically trained workforce in STEM disciplines consisting of underrepresented minorities in STEM in conjunction with Minority Serving Institutions (MSI)s focused on critical education in scientific and technical areas to train the next generation of diverse scientists that the DoD will require for effective and innovative warfighting.
Outcome:
The approach to successfully achieving the project objectives are: 1. Expanding awareness to increase Capability Intelligence, 2. Engaging new and non-traditional performers to increase Innovation Management and Technical Assistance through integrated activities; 3. Build new relationships to increase Research and Business Integration processes, and 4. Design and Develop the Program Integration of target CCDC programs. - Project Name: In-situ Characterization of Reactive Material Fragmentation in Vented Chamber Calorimetry Experiments
Awarding Agency: Naval Surface Warfare Center
Project Summary:
Reactive Materials (RMs) are blended metal composites that fragment and combust upon impact with a target where understanding the fragmentation behavior is important to understand as a function of material composition and impact velocity. Experiments will be performed here at New Mexico Tech (NMT) to measure the impact fragmentation of RMs provided by Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Division (NSWCIHD) utilizing high-speed cameras to measure the RM fragmentation in situ in a vented chamber calorimeter (VCC) measuring fragment sizes, velocities, and trajectories. The outcomes will assist understanding fragmentation behavior, the transfer of measurement methods, and by comparing projections with computational models.
Outcome:
The project successfully achieved data from experiments involving material composition and impact velocity to measure impact fragmentation while utilizing high-speed cameras. The experiment includes measuring the fragments, velocities, and trajectories in the vented chamber calorimeter. The project successfully achieved data from experiments involving material composition and impact velocity to measure impact fragmentation while utilizing high-speed cameras. The experiment includes measuring the fragments, velocities, and trajectories in the vented chamber calorimeter.
