Classification of Unexploded Ordnance using Geophysics - A Practical Reality

During an unexploded ordnance (UXO) clean-up project, most of the items excavated are not UXO, but are harmless scrap metal. If these items can be determined to be non-hazardous without digging, the cost of a site clean-up can be cut by a substantial amount. Reliable classification of suspected UXO targets using geophysical survey data is now possible. This paper provides a summary of new advanced electromagnetic sensors and related software technologies to consistently classify suspected UXO and buried munitions vs. non-hazardous buried metallic objects. The technology and the tools have matured to the point where classification can be (and are) routinely applied to UXO clean-up projects in a transparent and reproducible approach. This methodology is now being accepted and required by US government program managers and regulators in clean-up projects that span a range of site conditions.