Blueprinting the Way to Warfighter Safety

FORT BELVOIR, VA, UNITED STATES

04.29.2016

Courtesy Story

Defense Threat Reduction Agency's Chemical and Biological Technologies Department

Fort Belvoir, Va. - Blueprints are critical for success when building infrastructure, whether constructing a skyscraper or software system. Creating a blueprint of how to better protect warfighters led the Defense Threat Reduction Agency to fund a software tool that can quickly model how harmful agents affect warfighter shelters and equipment during a chemical or biological attack.

Led by Mr. Michael Roberts from DTRA’s Joint Science and Technology Office, the Department of Defense’s Joint Expeditionary Collective Protection (JECP) program recently accredited JSTO’s System Performance Model (SPM) as a simulator that can model how harmful agents affect warfighter shelters and equipment during a chemical or biological attack. The SPM simulates trial conditions with a uniform exterior contaminant concentration, increasing warfighter safety by reducing the time and money previously needed for physical tests.

Shelter systems utilize collective protection concepts such as air filtration, over pressure, highly resistant barrier materials, and airlocks to defend the toxic free area of the shelters. Personnel exposed to a chemical or biological agent; however, will become contaminated from the released chemical or biological agent as some portion of the agent will adhere to their clothing. The amount of agent adherence is dependent on concentration levels and duration of exposure.

Prior to JSTO’s SPM software, JECPs were lacking a dynamic software that could model how chemical and biological agents influence the infrastructure’s ability to protect the warfighter from contaminants.
Principle investigator Harold Barnette from the Naval Surface Warfare Center, developed the SPM predictive modeling software application to address risks associated with personnel movement and off-gassing. Through supplementing laboratory, chamber and field test data with simulation results, the SPM software will improve JECP System shelters to protect the warfighters inside and minimize contamination for those seeking protection.

Similar to a blueprint, the SPM models the dynamic components of JECP Systems by using single or complex configurations. Users pair the appropriate contaminant with environmental conditions, such as shelter configurations and terrain to model the off-gassing.

Within the shelter configuration, the SPM models specific features of JECP shelters designed to protect against chemical and biological agents. For example, the SPM can represent the behavior of the fan filter assembly, including the performance of the M98 HEPA and carbon filters. It also models the regulation of shelter overpressure facilitated by the JECP Dial-a-Flow orifices. Without shelter filters and overpressure, contaminants could enter into the shelter, making them important components in accurately simulating the shelter performance against agent threats.

Additionally, the SPM simulates the effects of contaminant leakage from the external environment through the environmental control unit. Adding the impact of personnel to the simulation, the model can simulate the transport of contaminated air into the toxic free area and personnel entrance that occurs during personnel movement (ingress and egress events). The software also incorporates the absorption and desorption of contaminant vapor on personnel clothing and from the interior of the shelter itself.

As the modeling and simulation development progresses, this accreditation approval milestone will supplement laboratory, chamber and field test data. Utilizing the SPM model, engineers can develop better shelters, equipment, and procedures to keep warfighters safe from chemical and biological threats.

POC: Michael Roberts; [e-mail]

• Date Taken: 04.29.2016
• Date Posted: 04.29.2016 13:21
• Story ID: 196904
• Location: FORT BELVOIR, VA, US