Explosive Storage Capacity calculator
Important: The storage capacity tool is an EXCEL spreadsheet that will assist in calculating allowable munitions storage capacities for a selected potential explosion site (PES), given the available distances to surrounding exposed sites (ES). The output results are based on explosives safety quantity distance criteria found in NATO AASTP-1, Edition 1, Change 3. The tool will only evaluate one PES at a time, but will consider multiple ES as part of that PES evaluation. For locations that have multiple PES, and as part of an overall storage area assessment, the tool will need to be run for each PES, and the final net explosive quantity (NEQ) for any PES selected based on the results of that assessment.
The User Manual provides specific directions for how to operate the tool. Basically, the user selects the PES type from a menu and inputs known distances separating the PES from nearby ES that are part of the evaluation. The tool will then apply AASTP-1 criteria to calculate the allowable NEQ for each Hazard Division (HD). With regards to HD 1.5, the user must treat it as HD 1.1. Refer to AASTP-1 for HD 1.4 storage requirements.
CAUTION - It's important for users to know that the tool's NEQ output values do not consider AASTP-1 mixing and aggregation rules. The calculated NEQ values represent how much of each HD can be stored by itself given the distances provided by the user and not the HD and NEQ that could be stored simultaneously. This is an extremely important point to understand. If not applied properly, the result could be an overloaded PES that could generate far-worse consequences than reflected by the safety distances. For this reason, the user must understand the AASTP-1 mixing/aggregation rules and apply them appropriately.
Minimum knowledge required: Users must be familiar with/understand: the UN hazard classification system for classifying munitions (e.g., HD 1.1 through HD 1.6); AASTP-1's use/expansion of that system for storage purposes; mixing/aggregation rules for mixing different HD together in the same PES; and facilities structural strength designators as they will influences PES selection. Additional information on all these areas can be found in NATO AASTP-1, Edition 1, Change 3.
Upon opening the tool, select OPTIONS and enable macros or the tool will not function properly.
This spreadsheet is provided courtesy of its developer, the Belgian MOD, and the Conference of National Armament Directors (CNAD) Ammunition Safety Group (CASG) (AC/326), Subgroup C 'In-Service and Operational Safety Management'.
