The Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory at the US Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) has developed a near-surface properties laboratory to provide complete characterization of soil. Data from this laboratory is being incorporated into a comprehensive database, to enhance military force projection and protection by providing physical properties for modelers and designers of imaging and detection systems. The database will allow cross-referencing of mineralogical, electromagnetic, thermal, and optical properties to predict surface and subsurface conditions. We present an example data set from recent collection efforts including FTIR in the Near-IR, MWIR, and LWIR bands, magnetic susceptibility (500 Hz to 8 GHz), and soil conductivity and complex permittivity (10 μHz to 8 GHz) measurements. X-ray data is presented along with a discussion of site geology, sample collection and preparation methods, and mineralogy. This type of data-collection effort provides useful constraint information of soil properties for use in modeling and target detection. By establishing real ranges for critical soil properties, we are able to improve algorithms to define anomalies that can indicate the presence of land mines, unexploded ordnance (UXOs), improvised explosive devices (IEDs), tunnels, and other visually obscured threats.

Date Published: 29 April 2010
PDF: 11 pages
Proc. SPIE 7664, Detection and Sensing of Mines, Explosive Objects, and Obscured Targets XV, 766420 (29 April 2010); doi: 10.1117/12.850157

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 7664:
Detection and Sensing of Mines, Explosive Objects, and Obscured Targets XV
Russell S. Harmon; John H. Holloway Jr.; J. Thomas Broach, Editor(s)