Demonstration of Shock-Absorbing Concrete (SACON) Bullet Trap Technology

Abstract : The Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) funded a technology demonstration of shock-absorbing concrete (SACON) bullet-trapping technology. SACON is a low-density, fiber-reinforced, foamed concrete developed by the Waterways Experiment Station (WES). SACON offers significant benefits in comparison to current commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) bullet-trapping technologies. SACON provides Range Managers with a means of effectively capturing and containing lead on small-arms ranges without sacrificing training realism. Demonstration objectives focused on identifying and validating the performance, cost, safety, logistics, training realism, and recycling aspects of the SACON bullet-trapping material. SACON bullet traps tested in a 25-Meter Range application contained 87 percent of the bullets fired at the trap. Exposure of the bullet debris to the SACON material and weathering resulted in the formation of insoluble lead corrosion products and the generation of nonhazardous waste products. The application of SACON reduced localized soil erosion typically found in the vicinity of target emplacements. Ricochet testing results indicated bullet impacts were within the surface danger zones (SDZs) for the range types chosen for the demonstration. A nonrecurring cost of approximately $1600 per lane and an annual recurring cost of $3800 per lane were estimated to outfit a 20-lane 25-Meter Range with SACON bullet traps.