Description:
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this project is to develop a PC based computer program with GIS capability that will aid managers at test and training ranges, proving grounds, munitions production sites, and military installations in evaluating viable options for managing contamination from military test, training, and production activities. DESCRIPTION: Military installations must address the introduction of military materials and other substances into the environment. Some are the result of military test and training activities (e.g., heavy metals and munitions constituents) and others result from routine base activities (e.g., POL, solvent, and other chemical spills). Facility managers need rapid, easy to use decision tools to determine the best approach for managing varying contaminants that could affect soil and groundwater under a varying range of geotechnical and environmental conditions. The offeror will develop a PC based computer aid to assist managers of sites affected by various military activities. The program should be able to import GIS data layers, which could include the locations of contaminant material obtained via sampling surveys, topographic information, soil information, vegetation coverage, and aerial/satellite imagery. The program will relate soil, vegetation and topographic information to factors that affect migration of military contaminants in the environment. The program will also require importation of climatic and/or weather data to help assess potential contamination migration. The program will allow the user to develop management scenarios based on 1) removal of some or all of the contaminant, 2) development of physical barriers or topographic modification of the site to slow migration of the contaminant, or 3) the use of agents that retard movement of the contaminant. The program should maintain flexibility so that new data regarding movement and attenuation from existing contaminants can be added. In addition, the program should allow the user to add new contaminants and their properties in a straight-forward manner. The program should be easy to use by personnel with little formal scientific training. Care should be taken to produce a graphical user interface that assists the user in understanding how the program works. The program should incorporate existing models to assess lateral and vertical migration of the contaminants, as well as release into surface water and groundwater. The program will need to be able to obtain chemical properties and data that affect contaminant migration, attenuation, treatment and management. This information can either be maintained within the program or obtained via the internet, if that information is available. Military contaminants to be included in the program include: High explosives: 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), 1,3,5-Trinitrohexahydro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX), Octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX) Propellants: 2,6-dinitrotoluene (DNT), nitroglycerine (NG), perchlorate, zero valent aluminum Penetrating metals: Depleted uranium (DU), tungsten Small arms metals: Lead, antimony, tungsten Solvents: Trichloroethene (TCE), trichloroethane (TCA) Perfluorinated compounds found in firefighting foams: perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) Petroleum, Oils, and Lubricants (POLs) Radionuclides The program will need to evaluate effects of military activities on these contaminants, such as maneuver activities and repeated firing at a training range. It is expected that the program will guide the user to look for logical relationships between various contaminants. For example, the program should prompt the user to look for RDX and other high explosives if TNT is found. The program should also address costs and uncertainties associated with management methods. PHASE I: The offeror will design architecture and integration methodology for a PC based software system in a Windows operating environment that will have the capability to import GIS data layers. The software design should have the capability to integrate quantitative environmental, geophysical, GIS, and multiple criteria decision analysis for risk management and environmental sustainability planning. The desired Phase I product is a report that describes design architecture and integration methodology needed to develop a PC based software system in a Windows operating environment. PHASE II: Phase II shall produce a working alpha version PC based software platform utilizing the design architecture and integration methodology developed in Phase I during Phase II Year 1. The software platform should be capable of incorporating the entire range of contaminants and demonstrating the effectiveness of management methodologies to multiple installations that cover a variety of climates and soil types. The beta version software platform developed during Phase II Year 2 should have an intuitive user interface with flexible application to a range of problems typical to contaminated and disturbed site management. Beta Version software should allow implementation using libraries of models, GIS tools, and decision needs. The GIS module should implement kriging and other standard geostatistical analyses. The offer will provide a functionality demonstration of the beta version program using at least three contaminants (one contaminant at a time) with differing mobility properties (recommended contaminants are depleted uranium, RDX, and perchlorate). The offer will provide a report that documents the PC based software system; the design utilized for an integrated quantitative environmental, geophysical, GIS, and multiple criteria decision analysis for risk management and environmental sustainability planning; and results of the functionality demonstration. PHASE III: This program will have the capability to be expanded to include a wider range of contaminants and settings, to include large contaminated sites in the civilian sections, such as landfills, chemical and petroleum refineries, large industrial complexes, etc. This type of program may have great value from a firefighting, disaster response, and home security perspective. Assessment of the modeling results for various Army (test, training, and production) and non-military sites should be conducted in Phase III. Use guidelines will be developed and tools for prioritization and decision support will be finalized in Phase III. The evaluation of the commercial product will be performed in this phase. This technology has potential commercial applications in the areas of industrial land use management (both military and civilian), stabilization and remediation strategies for varying contaminated sites, and restoration and remediation planning. REFERENCES: 1) Medina, V.F., D.L. Brandon, K.J. Hay, D.S. Khona, H.K. Smith, and A.B. Morrow. Environmental Assessment During Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield (IPB) - Evaluation of the TIC-Master Computer Program. U.S. Army Engineer Research & Development Center Report. ERDC/EL TR-12-4. Available On-line: http://el.erdc.usace.army.mil/elpubs/pdf/tr12-5.pdf 2) Johnson, B.E., V.F. Medina, and D. Cuniff. 2006. Evaluation of the movement of Depleted Uranium using a Distributed Watershed Model. Practice Periodical of Hazardous, Toxic, & Radioactive Waste Management. 10(3):179-189. 3) Joint Effects Model (JEM). http://www.jpeocbd.osd.mil/packs/Default.aspx?pg=1701. 4) MAUDE, a Management Aid for UXO Detection Efforts software package http://el.erdc.usace.army.mil/uxo/index.html
