1. Improvised Explosive Assessment Tool CRTI 06-0204RD
Presented at the Public Security S&T Summer Symposium 2009
15-18 June, Ottawa, Ontario

2. CRTI06-0204RD Improvised Explosives Assessment Tool
INTRODUCTION
Project Review
Progress and Results
Leverage
Low-Hanging Fruit
Information Leveraging
Canadian Indicator Booklet
Urban Modeling Protocols
Public Security Support
Conclusions

3. CRTI 06-204RD: Improvised Explosive Assessment Tool
PM: John Anderson
Delivery by: Suffield (lead), Valcartier, CERL, CSIS, RCMP, Amita
Start-End: October 2007 – December 2011
Total Funding : $3.25 Million M in-kind
Total FTE: total (7.7 Suffield)
Client sponsor(s): CRTI
Linkages (National): CSIS, RCMP, CERL, Valcartier, DSTI
Linkages (International): TSWG/FBI/ATF, UK, AUS
Objective(s): To deliver a capability/tool that will provide investigators and first responder organizations with a means for obtaining rapid, evidence-based and scientifically sound assessments of many improvised explosive formulations, compositions and recipes. This information will be of direct utility to end users by providing accurate information on over two dozen critical factors for a minimum of forty (40) improvised explosive (IE) formulations and/or technologies.
Outcomes:
- Improved appreciation of threat spectrum and associated implications
- Establishment of pan-national capability to assess, and advise on the improvised explosive threat
- Database of experimental results and a software tool
for first responder and expert investigator use.
- Provision of data for the CRTI project “Protocol for Modeling Explosive Threats in Urban Environments
Outputs / deliverables:
-Reports on improvised explosives characteristics
-A scientifically sound formulation assessment tool.
-A database of experimental data for use in other improvised explosive programs.

4. CRTI06-0204RD Improvised Explosives Assessment Tool
The IEAT Team
DRDC Valcartier
P. Brousseau, S. Desilets, S. Turgeon
NRCan-CERL
P. Lightfoot
PSCan
T. Patraboy, P. Caron
RCMP
Ian Summerell
DSTI
Tony Heron
AMITA
Larry Chop
DRDC Suffield
J. Anderson

5. CRTI06-0204RD Improvised Explosives Assessment Tool
APPROACH
Literature surveys
Information fed from variety of sources
Explosives Assessments
Methods of synthesis/precursors
Sensitivity/stability
Detonation Properties (Velocity, Critical Diameter, Initiation)
Blast Properties (free-field, semi confined, confined)
TNT “equivalency”
All info fed into Assessment tool

6. CRTI06-0204RD Improvised Explosives Assessment Tool
POTENTIAL COMPOSITIONS
Peroxides (TATP, HMTD, MEKP etc.)
Peroxide-based (H2O2 + organic material-OM, other additives as required)
Non-ideal or other oxidizer-based (AN, UNi, Metal Nitrates, Perchlorates, Chlorates, KMnO4 etc.)
Liquids (NM, NE, IPN, HN, EHN, NG, EGDN etc)
Liquid-based (energetic liquids plus additives such as metals)
Precursor materials
“Other” (R-salt, HM-RDX, HM-HE (HM-homemade), other candidates from intel assessments)

7. CRTI06-0204RD Improvised Explosives Assessment Tool
APPROACH
Four Phases
Phase I: Review of Information Sources
Phase II: Prioritization of formulations to be assessed
Phase III: Technical Assessments/Database Development
Phase IV: Database population, integration and testing

8. CRTI06-0204RD Improvised Explosives Assessment Tool
Last Year:
Focus was on Urea Nitrate and Mixtures (urgent requirement for knowledge from our international partners)
CERL: Sensitivity Studies
Suffield: Blast Properties
Valcartier: Chemical and Structural Analysis
IEAT Tool/Database Outline

9. CRTI06-0204RD Improvised Explosives Assessment Tool
Project Progress Update:
Peroxide Desensitization
HME based on Metal Nitrates
MEKP Characterization
Decomposition Mechanisms for UNi
Update on Development of the Improvised Explosives Assessment Tool (Software/Database)

10. CRTI06-0204RD Improvised Explosives Assessment Tool
PEROXIDES: HMTD/TATP (what’s already known)
Extremely Sensitive to Mechanical Stimuli (friction/impact)
Extremely Sensitive to Thermal Stimuli
TATP has high vapor pressure, HMTD much less so
ESD Results vary
Question: Can these HMEs be desensitized with other materials

11. CRTI06-0204RD Improvised Explosives Assessment Tool
PEROXIDES: HMTD/TATP (what we’ve done)
TATP/Al mixtures
TATP/AN; HMTD/AN mixtures
TATP/grease, HMTD grease mixtures
TATP/alcohol, HMTD/ alcohol mixtures
TATP/H2O, TATP/AN/H2O mixtures

12. CRTI06-0204RD Improvised Explosives Assessment Tool
Question: Can these HMEs be desensitized with other materials
Answer: Yes – but large amounts of material required
Don’t use 50% HP
Use 35% HP
Variation in ESD measurements for HMTD a concern

13. CRTI06-0204RD Improvised Explosives Assessment Tool
HME based on Metal Nitrates
NaNO3, KNO3, Sr(NO3)2, Ba(NO3)2, Ca(NO3)2 (planned)
Looked at variety of mixtures with metal and elemental fuels
Evaluated the hazard and explosive properties of a broad range of potential HMEs
No apparent safety issues - mixtures are relatively safe to handle and easy to make by grinding/mixing
Clear potential for large-scale detonation devices using binary mixtures with specific metal powder, particularly for KN and SN

14. CRTI06-0204RD Improvised Explosives Assessment Tool
Still to do:
Small-scale detonation tests on ternary mixtures
2-kg airblast testing on selected ternary mixtures
50-kg airblast testing on a few mixtures
VOD determination for selected mixtures
Ca(NO3)2 “workup”

15. CRTI06-0204RD Improvised Explosives Assessment Tool
MEKP Characterization
MEKP is easily prepared with readily available chemicals:
The preparation of MEKP does not require sophisticated equipment
Most publications describe MEKP as a mixture of organic peroxides (mainly the dimer form) which are intrinsically unstable due to the peroxide group (C-O-O-C).
MEKP (diluted in a plasticizer) is widely used in the plastic industry as a catalyst for initiating and cross-linking polymerization.
In 1996, the worldwide yearly consumption of MEKP was estimated at 22,000 tons (Shu et al. Thermochim. Acta, (2005), 430, 67-71).
MEKP is extremely sensitive to friction, impact and heat.

16. CRTI06-0204RD Improvised Explosives Assessment Tool
Decomposition Mechanisms for UNi
Vacuum Stability Test (VST): 100oC for 40hrs – 27% Weight loss and decomposition observed ?
Hypothesis
Evaporation of Nitric acid
Sublimation under vacuum
Revert back to Urea & producing Nitric acid boiling
Decomposition reactions (producing volatile organic species)

17. Aging Experiments of Urea Nitrate at 100oC in an Oven
CRTI RD Improvised Explosives Assessment Tool
Aging Experiments of Urea Nitrate at 100oC in an Oven
IR and NMR Spectroscopy Studies
24hrs - Urea Nitrate was mainly present
48hrs - Ammonium Nitrate (AN) strongly present
72hrs - AN strongly presents + Urea + Biuret
144hrs - AN + Urea + Biuret

18. Urea Nitrate Decomposition Proposed Mechanism below melting point
CRTI RD Improvised Explosives Assessment Tool
Urea Nitrate Decomposition Proposed Mechanism below melting point

19. CRTI06-0204RD Improvised Explosives Assessment Tool
Decomposition processes are complex and were characterized by numerous techniques – could this help with development of detection techniques?
Urea nitrate appears stable at room temperature
Urea nitrate is very acidic – could produce secondary decomposition process when mixed with other ingredients.
Which can lead to “unplanned thermal events”!

20. CRTI06-0204RD Improvised Explosives Assessment Tool
Update on Development of the Improvised Explosives Assessment Tool (Software/Database)
Give First Responders, Investigators, Forensics, Scientists access to reliable information about Improvised Explosives (HMEs) to better assess threats
Key players : Defence Research and Development Canada, Canadian Explosives Research Laboratory, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Public Safety Canada.
Evaluate selected HMEs
Build a user-friendly software tool

21. CRTI06-0204RD Improvised Explosives Assessment Tool
Version 1 : Data Entry
Adopted an Agile approach for software development
Small iterations
Fewer functionalities implemented at a time
Frequent releases
Quick and regular feedback
Build GUI Prototypes accessible from a web browser

22. CRTI06-0204RD Improvised Explosives Assessment Tool
Data Architecture

23. CRTI06-0204RD Improvised Explosives Assessment Tool
Examples of Characteristics
Explosive Outputs
Velocity of detonation
TNT Equivalency (Air blast)
Structure and Analysis
NMR Spectra
Microscopy
Observed Properties
Physical state (solid, liquid)
Odor
Hazard
Sensitivity to friction
Thermal stability
Disposal
Solubility in water, in acetone
Other Properties
Melting point
Toxicity

24. CRTI06-0204RD Improvised Explosives Assessment Tool
Activities of IEAT
The actors:

25. CRTI06-0204RD Improvised Explosives Assessment Tool
Lessons learned to date
Assign responsibilities within the end-users community
They define requirements
Regular meetings with representative from each organization
Talk to users with a functional prototype, not paperwork
Build a common vocabulary (ex: recipes, synthesis procedures, test methods)
Data ≠ Advice
Scientists are hungry for data
Public Safety people are hungry for advice
Implement good communication between them

26. CRTI06-0204RD Improvised Explosives Assessment Tool
Future work and challenges
Data population
Enter data beyond document upload
No centralized data
Assess data and judgment taken from literature
Level of confidence? Reliability?
Piles of papers => Huge amount of work!
Have a good search tool
Meaningful and useful to the different end-users
Not for all first responders because it is classified
Desensitize information

27. CRTI06-0204RD Improvised Explosives Assessment Tool
Low Hanging Fruit: Information Sharing
LINKAGES/LEVERAGING
UK/CPNI/DSTL/METROPOLITION POLICE
- HPOM data, other HME “tidbits”
FBI/ARA/ATF
- CHP, ASN and FGAN data and more “tidbits”
AUS
- Recent Distribution of Reports
All done through linkage with TSWG
HME-WG’s and International Workshops

28. CRTI06-0204RD Improvised Explosives Assessment Tool
Low Hanging Fruit: Indicators/Warnings for HME
Canadianized EH!

29. Protocols for Modeling Explosive Threats in Urban Environments
S&T Thrust : CRTI 6-252RD
Clients : CRTI, CSIS
SA : Dr. Fan Zhang
PM : Mr. Pierre Caron
Delivery : DRDC Suffield / CSIS
Start-End : April 2007 – March 2011
Resources over life of project:
Collabor. : CSIS, RCMP, Martec Ltd., U of Waterloo
Linkage : US TSWG, DTRA, UK Dstl
FTE
R&D
Total Funds 1
$2200K
$ 2700K
Objectives:
Develop protocols serving as standards and guidelines for modeling both ideal and non-ideal explosive threats in the close proximity of urban environments, so that the threats on structures and personnel in real-world urban scenarios can be assessed and the range of applicability of the fast tools can be extended
The Protocols are based on physically-correct models and will consist of a large number of first-principles, accurate, near-field modeling solutions including pressure (static and dynamic), impulse and temperature histories and P-I curves on structural elements of a comprehensive class of fundamental urban environments and scenarios.
Outcomes and Deliverables:
Physical models for non-ideal blast explosives and target interactions
Accurate near-field solutions in urban elements and scenarios
Chinook Code update as a first-principle continuum modeling tool for threats of explosive devices and urban target interactions
Multiple scaling rules for non-ideal explosives
Protocols as guidelines & database for urban explosive threats, loading, structure/ personnel vulnerability for best explosion modeling practices
Protocols in both printed manuals and a user-friendly electronic platform

30. CRTI06-0204RD Improvised Explosives Assessment Tool
Low Hanging Fruit: Public Security
Support to Law Enforcement: Large Scale FGANFO Trial

31. CRTI06-0204RD Improvised Explosives Assessment Tool
Low Hanging Fruit: Public Security
Support to Law Enforcement:
SME advice on TATP/Al mixtures
Support to TC/DHS
Development of Simulants for TATP/HMTD
DRDC Support
(synthesis of HMEs)
Installation of CT-80 on Range (2 days/-30C)
Data for HMTD, HMTD/grease and HMTD/AN acquired (all three instruments)
Data for TATP and mixtures, AN and mixtures to be acquired July 09

32. CRTI06-0204RD Improvised Explosives Assessment Tool
Closing Remarks
CA working on a variety of Improvised Explosives-related programs: Ops Infrastructure Protection, HME, Improvised FAE, Modelling/Software, and database development programs
IEAT/database coming along nicely
Render Safe Procedures (RSP) a Gap area – project starting soon (dedicated site and equipment in design phase)
Wealth of information generated/collected – allowing us to offer SME advice on large number of compositions

33. Ms. Louise Ripley & her Team
CRTI RD Improvised Explosives Assessment Tool
Acknowledgements
DRDC Suffield: P. Lambert, L. Gagne
DRDC Valcartier: D. Chamberland, A. Marois, E. Sinelnikov
CERL: B. Ridley, K. Armstrong
and last but certainly not least
Ms. Louise Ripley & her Team

34. QUESTIONS?