Technology Demonstration Program. The U.S. Army Jefferson Proving Ground in Madison, IN, hosted 15 demonstrations of various technologies at a 16-hectare, controlled test site containing a known baseline of emplaced, inert ordnance. Phase III results indicate that UXO technologies show continued improvement in detection performance since the initial Phase I demonstrations in 1994. Improvements to the capabilities for discriminating UXO from background clutter, however, need a focused effort. Additionally, performance of excavation technologies has not improved significantly.
Results also show that technology for remote excavation is feasible, but slow and inefficient.
The detection technologies demonstrated in Phase III utilized electromagnetic induction, gradiometers, magnetometers, and ground penetrating radar sensors. This means that 2-5 targets were identified for every baseline ordnance target detected. These results show that demonstrator detection performance was dependent not only on the type of sensor used, but on each demonstrator's entire technical process for collecting, processing, and reporting data. DoD also recommends further funding for development of innovative and high-risk technologies and the availability of a test area at the Jefferson Proving Ground for technology development. Wayne State University Researchers recently found that a polyurea elastomeric material is highly effective in forming a continuous, seam-free landfill liner.