- News and Events
- Program Area Updates – Information Bulletin Archive
- Calendar
- Blog
- Conferences & Workshops
- In the Spotlight
- Using Plants to Sustain Military Ranges
- Sonar Key to Detecting Underwater UXO
- Monitoring and Mapping Coral Reefs
- EPA-Approved Protocol for Range Characterization
- Robotic Laser Coating Removal System
- MetalMapper
- Understanding cis-DCE and VC Biodegradation
- Eliminating Cr from Medium Caliber Gun Barrels
- Predicting Responses to Landscape Changes
- Applying Statistics and Modeling to UXO Discrimination
- Composites with Low HAP Compounds
- Perchlorate-Free Flares Undergo Qualification Testing
- Recovering Energy from Landfill Gas
- Modeling Underwater UXO Mobility in Reef Environments
- Understanding the Behavioral Ecology of Cetaceans
- Forecasting the Effects of Stressors on At-Risk Species
- Advanced Signal Processing for UXO Discrimination
- Reducing Emissions for Jet Engines of the Future
- Assessing Vapor Intrusion at Chlorinated Solvent Sites
- Passive Sampling of Contaminated Sediments
- Leveraging Advanced Sensor Data to Clean Up UXO
- Source Zone Architecture Key to DNAPL Remediation
- Biopolymers Maintain Training Berms, Prevent Contamination
- Rare-Earth Corrosion Protection Mechanisms
- Cold Spray Technology for Aircraft Component Repair
- Ecological Research Supports Training at Camp Lejeune
- Loss of Permafrost – Impact on DoD Lands in Alaska
- Converting Solar Energy to Electricity and Heat
- ASETSDefense Workshop on Sustainable Surface Engineering
- Forward Operating Bases: Water and Waste Management
- Evaluating Matrix Diffusion Effects on Groundwater
- ES&T Features In Situ Sediment Remediation
- Erosion Resistant Coating Improves Engine Efficiency
- Optimizing Boiler Efficiency Through Combustion Control
- Climate Change Adaptation: Enhanced Decision Making
- Adapting Energy-Efficient Heat Pumps for Cold Climates
- Workshop on Sustainable Surface Engineering Advances
- Ecological Forestry & DoD’s Carbon Footprint
- Munitions Classification in the Hands of Production Firms
- Intelligent and Energy-Efficient LED Street Lighting
- ESTCP Partners with EPA on Watershed Management
- White House Energy Security Blueprint References ESTCP
- Success Classifying Munitions in Wooded Areas
- Evaluating Technology Performance at DNAPL Sites
- ‘Flyer’ Improves OB/OD Air Emissions Measurement
- Identifying Research Needs for Underwater Munitions
- Success Classifying Small Munitions at Camp Butner
- Managing Military Lands in the Southwest
- Partnering to Advance Munitions Classification
- ‘Flyer’ Improves OB/OD Air Emissions Measurement - Preview
- Sonar Identifies Underwater Munitions in Gulf Study
- Protective Coating Improves Jet Engine Fuel Efficiency
- Assessing Pacific Island Watershed Health
- New Insights Into Tracking Contaminants in Bedrock
- ClimaStat Technology Improves HVAC Efficiency
- Innovative Plating Process for Beryllium Alternatives
Success Classifying Munitions in Wooded Areas
The ESTCP Classification Pilot Program completed the first successful demonstration of newly developed man-portable electromagnetic induction (EMI) systems for munitions response at the former Camp Beale, California. These systems achieved outstanding results classifying munitions from other nonhazardous items under challenging site conditions.
The demonstration at the former Camp Beale was designed to investigate classification at a partially wooded site with sloped terrain and a mix of munition types, ranging in size from small 37mm projectiles to 105mm projectiles. The tree cover posed a navigational and positioning challenge by increasing the difficulty of obtaining accurate GPS readings. This site provided an opportunity to demonstrate the capabilities and limitations of classification given site conditions likely to be encountered on production sites.
Approach
The demonstration area totaled approximately 10 acres and was divided into sub-areas—treed areas where man-portable EMI systems in cued mode were demonstrated, open areas where Geometrics’ MetalMapper (MM) commercial towed array in cued mode was demonstrated, and an overlap area where both were demonstrated. The man-portable systems included the Naval Research Laboratory’s TEMTADS 2x2x3 cart, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s portable Berkeley UXO Discriminator (BUD), and Sky Research’s Man-Portable Vector (MPV) handheld system. All of the data were analyzed by several groups using a number of feature extraction and classification algorithms.
The site was seeded with inert munitions for QC purposes, and all anomalies were dug to confirm technology performance. Demonstrators were scored based on their ability to eliminate nonhazardous items while retaining all detected munitions.
Results
All sensors achieved exceptional classification performance on a site with the presence of a small munition type, tree cover, and sloped terrain. In their first Pilot Program demonstration, the three man-portable systems performed nearly identically and were able to achieve 100 percent classification for targets-of-interest while rejecting more than 80 percent of the nonhazardous clutter. The man-portable sensors also performed equivalently to the MM, which has been successfully validated in the current and several prior live site demonstrations. A simple cost model based on these results shows the potential for large savings as the classification approach is adopted on munitions response sites. Classification significantly accelerates the timeline for remediating munitions-contaminated sites.

MPV data collection at the former Camp Beale, CA
Future Demonstrations
A number of Pilot Program demonstrations are planned for 2012. Upcoming demonstration sites include the former Spencer Artillery Range, Tennessee, and the Massachusetts Military Reservation – Camp Edwards, Massachusetts. Each site contains a variety of munition types and Spencer Artillery Range includes a partially wooded area.
For further information and reports from the ESTCP Classification Pilot Program demonstration at the former Camp Beale, visit Featured Initiatives > Munitions Response Initiatives > Classification Applied to Munitions Response > Former Camp Beale. General information on the ESTCP Classification Pilot Program is available at Featured Initiatives > Munitions Response Initiatives > Classification Applied to Munitions Response.
Webinar Series
Promoting the transfer of innovative, cost-effective and sustainable solutions.