Project ELADIN

(Eliminating Land mines by Aqueous Detection Identification and Neutralization)
The problems of world-wide land mine use are well documented and many organizations, both governmental and private are working to find and get rid of mines.  In most cases the techniques they use are similar to those developed during the Second World War, and while there is considerable money being invested in new ideas none have yet been widely used.

Automated De-militarization Facility

Missouri S&T has worked in the field of de-militarization for over 20 years, being the first group to use robotically controlled high pressure waterjets to cut the explosives our of obsolete air-to-air missile warheads. As we have continued to improve all aspects of this operation, the U.S. Navy has tasked us to build, test, and install a state of the art system in the flexible de-mil cell at the Army Ammunition Center in McAlester, Oklahoma.

Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START)

The Rock Mechanics and Explosives Research Center has helped the implementation of the START treaty within the United States by designing systems to use 10,000 psi waterjets to cut the propellant from large rocket motors. Several large companies have called on Missouri S&T for just such assistance. Concurrently, we have developed a test system to demonstrate the safety of such an operation, known as the "water derringer". RMERC personnel are currently assisting the former Soviet Union in the disposal of their ICBM rocket motors and have carried the water derringer technology to the Pavlograd Chemical Plant in Pavlograd, Ukraine to demonstrate the safety of a washout system on Soviet era Propellants.

Demilitarization

Missouri S&T's High Pressure Waterjet Lab has become a world leader in the field of Demilitarization of obsolete and defective munitions. Starting in 1982, Missouri S&T demonstrated the safety and efficiency of using high pressure water to cut and clean the explosives from old air to air missiles. An underground facility to remotely handle and clean these warheads was developed at the Missouri S&T experimental mine and christened WOMBAT (Waterjet Ordnance and Munition Blastcleaner with Automated Tellurometry). This ongoing relationship with the Naval Surface Warfare Center, (NSWC Crane) has been joined by the Army, and now the Joint Services Group under the auspices of the Defense Ammunition Center (DAC) of McAlester, Oklahoma. Current research includes the comparison of various cutting systems that add abrasive to high pressure water to cut through casings and allow access to the energetic materials (explosives or propellants) for recycling. This eliminates the danger of large quantities of old bullets deteriorating in storage, saves storage costs, and can allow the components of the bullets to be reused in a peaceful manner.This research is under the direction of Dr. David A. Summers and encompasses the whole waterjet team, including Dr Greg Galecki, Dr. Joe Newkirk, Dr. John Watson, Mr. Bob Fossey, Mr. D. Scott Parker, Mr. L. John Tyler, and Mr. Jim Blaine. There are a "multitude" ofstudents from various disciplines also assisting with the research on this project.

Precision Waterjet Cutting

Micro-machining has come to Missouri S&T, and the High Pressure Waterjet team is doing its part.Water streams as narrow as four one thousandths of an inch, often containing very fine sand,can be used to cut extremely intricate patterns and parts. This can be done with most materials, from the softest metals like aluminum and copper, to the hardestrocks and ceramics, and could be used to create a precise component for later assembly. Additionally, this technique is being used in the development of miniature sculptures, like St. George and the dragon. This fine art is a definite complement to some of the more famous sculptures being created in the waterjet lab and erected around the campus such as Stonehenge and The Millenium Arch.