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Tying Explosive Hazard Classification and Insensitive Munitions Testing to Explosive
Quantitative Risk Assessment Modeling
Jorge Flores; A-P-T Research, Inc. Huntsville, AL, U.S.
Mike Swisdak; A-P-T Research, Inc. Huntsville, AL, U.S.
Jerry Rufe; A-P-T Research, Inc. Huntsville, AL, U.S.
Key Words: Explosive Hazard Classification, Insensitive Munitions, Explosive Modeling,
Quantitative Risk Assessment
Abstract
The goal of both explosive hazard classification (HC) and insensitive munitions (IM) testing is to
characterize the hazards of the explosive material or article. This testing provides information
about whether the explosive material or article is detonable, creates hazardous fragments, mass
fire, or has a potential to propagate to other articles to create a sympathetic reaction. Data such as
overpressure, impulse, debris generated, and thermal flux are also determined from these tests.
All this valuable information can be used in explosives quantitative risk assessment (QRA)
models, such as Technical Paper (TP) 14, to better quantify risk associated with that specific
explosive material or article. Currently, TP-14 characterizes the risk from the explosives by HC
and not the specific explosive materials or articles. Using the HC and IM test results can provide
a more accurate account of the risks associated with the explosive material or article. This paper
reviews the HC and IM tests and determine what data can be used to model that explosive
material or article using TP-14 methodology. Scaling from a HC and IM test to large net
explosive weight (NEW) storage configurations is discussed.
Introduction
TP-14 provides the Department of Defense Explosive Safety Board (DDESB) approved
methodologies for calculating risk associated with explosives operations and storage. TP-14
includes models that estimate explosive effects and consequences. The models are anchored by
various tests and years of research by explosive experts. A limitation of the models used in the
current published revision of TP-14, which is Rev 4, are the use of generic hazard classifications
and weapon types to define all scenarios. There may be times when TP-14 models for
Ammunition and Explosives (AE) are overly conservative. All AE will conduct explosive HC
and IM testing. This paper argues that data from both HC and IM tests can be used to more
accurately model AE using TP-14 models. The following sections provide an introduction to HC
and IM tests, the data obtained from those tests, a brief summary of the TP-14 architecture, an
explanation of how HC and IM tests can be used in TP-14 models, and benefits and limitation of
using HC and IM test data to model AE.
It is important to note that this paper uses the methodology in TP-14 Rev 4. TP-14 Rev 5 is
currently in development. It is expected that Rev 5 will remove the specific weapon types used in
Rev 4 and use generic weapon types. The premises of this paper will still apply when TP-14 Rev
5 is published.
