Supporting Munitions Safety

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Defects – Causes, Classification &

Criticality

Dr Michael SHARP

MSIAC Project Manager

m.sharp@msiac.nato.int

Matt FERRAN (MSIAC)

Dr Kevin JAANSALU (MSIAC)

Dr Matthew ANDREWS (MSIAC)

IMEMTS 2019, Seville, Spain

Supporting Munitions Safety

The Problem

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Supporting Munitions Safety

Defects Workshop 2020

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Defects – Causes, Classification and

Criticality

15th – 19th June 2020

The Hague, The Netherlands

Supporting Munitions Safety

Workshop Goal

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To define the methodology by which the criticality of the materials factors

leading to failure of munition systems can be assessed, and how this

assessment can then be used to inform safety and capability related decisions.

We must understand:

• Defect types and how they are created

• Techniques for detection and characterisation

• Impact on S3

• Information required to support decisions

Supporting Munitions Safety

Workshop Structure

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Supporting Munitions Safety

FA1: Origin

• Identify typical defects by munition system / energetic material / LCEP etc.

• Determine how defects are created, grow and change

FA2: Detection

• Identify best practice techniques for different defects / munition systems

• Limitations, capability gaps and emerging technology

FA3: Consequences

• Identify safety hazards associated with defects

• Identify methods to quantify the extent of hazards

FA4: Criticality

• Understand the point at which defects impact S3

Focus Areas

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Supporting Munitions Safety

Preliminary Activities

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• Review of techniques for the detection and characterisation of

defects

• Support to AC/326 SG/A efforts on gun launch setback loading

• Development of a general model for classification of factors

leading to the failure of munition systems

• Collation and classification of known munition system defects

and development of a defects lexicon and taxonomy

Supporting Munitions Safety

Model for Classifying Material Performance

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Supporting Munitions Safety

Defect Lexicon and Taxonomy

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• MSIAC staff have compiled a

lexicon of defect terms from the

literature

• Terms accompanied by:

o Definition

o Image (where possible)

o Family (explosives, propellants

or pyrotechnics)

o Size (nm-µm, µm-cm, cm-m)

o Location (bulk, interface,

surface)

o Time (processing, integration,

ageing)https://www.msiac.nato.int/defect-lexicon-

questionnaire

Supporting Munitions Safety

Defect Lexicon and Taxonomy

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• Identified need to classify defects terms into like groups

• Taxonomy based on materials tetrahedron:

o Synthesis and Processing

o Composition and Structure

o Properties

Supporting Munitions Safety

Bulk defect

Crystal Bulk defect

Occluded Solvent

Dislocation Inclusion Porosity (intra) Cracks (micro) Twinned crystal

Pores

Vacuole Void and cavity

(Inter) porosity Bubbles Foam Wormhole Blowhole Piping Cavern Fissure

Composition and Structure

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Supporting Munitions Safety

How to Get Involved

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• Session Chairs

• Submission of technical papers for presentation at workshop

• Defect lexicon survey

• Inform interested parties

• Attend

For more information, to submit abstracts and to register interest

in attending visit:

www.msiac.nato.int/defects

Supporting Munitions Safety

Defects Workshop 2020

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Questions?

www.msiac.nato.int/defects

Supporting Munitions Safety

Defects Workshop 2020

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Questions?

www.msiac.nato.int/defects

Location:

Crowne Plaza Den Haag

Promenade Hotel