Weapon Burial Secondary Debris (WBSD)

ABSTRACT: Most of the air delivered air force weapons are designed to detonate inside structures. However, due to targeting inaccuracies and other reasons they may land outside a structure and could detonate partially or fully buried in soil. These events could result in collateral damage to people, vehicles in the vicinity. Air force would like to have a fast running capability to assess the risk due to these events in their assessment tools. It is also possible that they may want to target a road or an airport runway to disable enemy mobility but without causing civilian casualties in the vicinity. SBIR Phase I proposal to develop these fast running models (FRMs) using innovative testing (and instrumentations) and analytical simulation methods is presented here. BENEFIT: With the concern over collateral damage caused by a conventional weapon detonation, different types of damage mechanisms must be considered. One of these is secondary debris from ejecta when a conventional weapon is partially or completely buried. Secondary debris has the potential to cause damage/injury to collateral concerns that must be determined and minimized for all soil types. Additionally, if the weapon detonates underground next to a buried wall or structure or under a slab like a floor, sidewalk or runway; failure of that structure could result in additional damage or undesirable collateral effects. Current analytic and weaponeering tools are unable to estimate these types of damage or undesirable side effects. Successful completion of this project will result in an integrated approach to developing FRMs that can predict secondary debris due WBSD events.