Neutralization of Potential Land Mine Hazards by Abrasive Waterjet Use

Abstract

A method of neutralizing landmines in which the integrity of the surrounding terrain is retained is herein described. High pressure waterjets which can be used to detect the presence of landmines can then be used to remove the soil and other cover in a plane immediately adjacent to and around the mine so that the side of the mine can be visually inspected through a remote television camera. At that time the flow of water is channeled through a line in which small particles of sand are added to the waterjet which is at a pressure of between 3,000 and 10,000 psi depending on the device which is used. Jet flow rates are on the order of 5 gpm depending on the nozzle configuration used. By bringing this abrasive stream in along a lateral plane through the mine it is possible to intersect, and neutralize, the fusing systems most likely to be used to initiate the charge, in a single pass. At higher flow rates, as the cut is made the jet will generate significant turbulence in the mine body, sufficient to remove a considerable quantity of the explosive which is resident within the mine at the same time as the mine is being dissected. The precision of cut achievable is shown by the longitudinal cutting into two parts of live detonators, as well as representative mine bodies.

Department(s)

Mining Engineering

Keywords and Phrases

Abrasive; Landmine; Neutralization; Waterjet

Document Type

Article - Conference proceedings

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 1998 SPIE -- The International Society for Optical Engineering, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Jan 1998

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