Open Burn/Open Detonation (OBOD) Area Management Using Lime For Explosives Transformation And Metals Immobilization

A common disposal method for munitions stockpiles is Open Burn/Open Detonation (OBOD). These activities are necessary to destroy unserviceable, unstable, or unusable munitions and explosives. Due to the relatively small area of OD facilities, there is a high probability of explosives and heavy metal contamination in the soil. The objective of this demonstration was to evaluate a lime soil amendment management strategy to control active OD area contaminant mobility and promote contaminant degradation that is low cost and minimally resource intensive. A soil treatability study and baseline characterization evaluation were undertaken at the site the OD area of Aberdeen Proving Grounds prior to initiation of the field demonstration. The field demonstration involved adding hydrated lime to the OD area to transform explosive residues and stabilize metals at the site to prevent offsite migration. Lime was further dispersed on the site and mixed with the deeper soils by adding it to the hole dug for the waste munitions before the detonations. Seven amendment methods were evaluated. Effective dispersion was monitored by surface soil sampling after the detonation fallout had settled. The detonations all dispersed the lime along with the crater ejecta. Additional lime was placed in the bottom of the crater prior to pushing the dispersed soil back into the crater. The original document contains color images.