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Containing the Threat from Illegal Bombings An Integrated National Strategy for Marking, Tagging, Rendering Inert, and Licensing Explosives and Their Precursors (1998) / Chapter Skim
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Appendix H
Pages 341-343

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From page 341...
... However, no standard test protocol is available to test the detonability of bulk fertilizer mixtures under the conditions likely to be used in large-scale bombings. It has been determined through years of design and testing of explosive materials such as water gels and blasting agents that some of these require emplacement in containers or boreholes of large cross-sectional area (i.e., must have a large minimum diameter)
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From page 342...
... It has been determined that with particulate oxidizers, such as ammonium nitrate prills or "rained ammonium nitrate, the greatest sensitivity is achieved with underoxidized mixtures. Thus, although ammonium nitrate/fuel oil has the best energy output, detonation velocity, and after-blast fumes at 5.7 percent fuel oil, it is most sensitive to initiation at lower percentages of fuel oil.
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From page 343...
... lo ensure accuracy and consistency of results, the test should be repeated three times. TEST INTERPRETATION Detonable fertilizer mixtures will be indicated by a continuous-detonation velocity probe trace that shows a sustained, steady-state or an increasing velocity from the booster area to the end of the pipe, and/or a retrieved witness plate that has a hole punched through it, or has deep cupping.
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Key Terms

  • velocity probe
  • fertilizer mixtures
  • fuel oil
  • detonation velocity
  • probe trace

  • test material
  • test protocol
  • percent fuel
  • ammonium nitrate
  • retrieved witness

  • standard test
  • fertilizer material
  • explosive product
  • person attempting
  • bulk fertilizer

  • pose little
  • nondetonable mixtures
  • steel pipe
  • strong cable
  • proper amount

  • pipe provides
  • detonation conditions
  • larger mass
  • test charge
  • fertilizer detonation

  • weigh approximately
  • mixture poses
  • test pond
  • detonable fertilizer
  • decreasing velocity


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