"An estimated 100 million unexploded land mines left over from this century's various wars and conflicts lie scattered in 94 countries, still lethal - decades after the peace treaties have been signed. Many of those mines are of the more modern "anti-personnel" variety which are designed to maim, rather than kill ... Due to the exorbitant cost of current demining techniques, there is a need for a simple but cost effective method to neutralize mines. The present study, actually, considers a properly singled out mission: mine neutralization in shrubby, dry grounds"--Abstract, leaf iii.

Anti-personnel Landmine Detection for Humanitarian Demining reports on state-of-the-art technologies developed during a Japanese National Research Project (2002–2007). The conventional method of landmine detection is using metal detectors to sense the metal in mines, but often other metal fragments in minefields camouflage landmines and hinder progress using this form of demining. The challenge is to develop detection systems that can discriminate between AP landmines and random metal fragments. The JST adopted research proposals and the results are reported here. This book concentrates on aspects of three approaches to AP mine detection: enhancing and confirming the results of metal-detection scans using GPR; using robot vehicles and manipulators to operate within minefields remotely; and methods of sensing the explosives within mines. Results are presented in the fields of GPR, nuclear quadrupole resonance, neutron thermal analysis and biosensors. The integration of these methods for workable robot operation is demonstrated. The project was carried out in conjunction with mine action centers in Croatia, Cambodia and Afghanistan. Evaluation data from field trials are also given.

Anti-personnel Landmine Detection for Humanitarian Demining reports on state-of-the-art technologies developed during a Japanese National Research Project (2002–2007). The conventional method of landmine detection is using metal detectors to sense the metal in mines, but often other metal fragments in minefields camouflage landmines and hinder progress using this form of demining. The challenge is to develop detection systems that can discriminate between AP landmines and random metal fragments. The JST adopted research proposals and the results are reported here. This book concentrates on aspects of three approaches to AP mine detection: enhancing and confirming the results of metal-detection scans using GPR; using robot vehicles and manipulators to operate within minefields remotely; and methods of sensing the explosives within mines. Results are presented in the fields of GPR, nuclear quadrupole resonance, neutron thermal analysis and biosensors. The integration of these methods for workable robot operation is demonstrated. The project was carried out in conjunction with mine action centers in Croatia, Cambodia and Afghanistan. Evaluation data from field trials are also given.

At the rate that government and nongovernmental organizations are clearing existing landmines, it will take 450-500 years to rid the world of them. Concerned about the slow pace of demining, the Office of Science and Technology asked RAND to assess potential innovative technologies being explored and to project what funding would be required to foster the development of the more promising ones. The authors of this report suggest that the federal government undertake a research and development effort to develop a multisensor mine detection system over the next five to eight years.

During the Humanitarian Demining Research and Development Program's Fiscal Year 2003 Humanitarian Demining Requirements Workshop, expert deminers expressed a need for a cost-benefit and performance analysis for currently available deflagration (burning) and high-order (non-explosive binary mixture) mine neutralization systems that carry fewer shipping restrictions when compared to tradition explosives commonly used for mine neutralization. In response to this request, the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM) Acquisition Center-Washington, D.C., published a Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) announcement on January 21, 2004 on behalf of the Communications- Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center (CERDEC), Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD), Countermine Division, Humanitarian Demining Branch, stating that the government was seeking sources for non-developmental high-order or low-order mine neutralization systems suitable for use in humanitarian demining operations. U.S. and foreign companies responded to this FBO announcement. Of the systems submitted for consideration, six deflagration systems including seven different devices and seven high-order systems including eleven different devices were selected for further evaluation. All mine neutralization systems evaluated in this report were successful in their ability to neutralize antipersonnel and antitank mines. When the systems are used properly, they are an effective, cost efficient alternative to traditional 1.1D explosives such as C-4 or TNT when neutralizing surface laid or surface buried landmines. However, all presented limitations in target set applicability, transportation restrictions, or cost. Given the right target set, any one of the systems evaluated during this test could do the job and be used with confidence by humanitarian deminers, military, and explosive ordnance disposal personnel.

This paper describes currently developed chemical and thermal landmine neutralization methods under the DoD Humanitarian Demining Research and Development (HD R & D) Program. It includes a table showing the differences among current detonation or demolition techniques, and among chemical and thermal systems. Comparative elements include the neutralization mechanism; neutralization effects; time required to neutralize mines; explosive, standoff, operational, transportation and storage requirements; quality control; reliability; human factors; effectiveness; applicability to buried mines; applicability to UX; and cost.

10. The future of Landmines

In constant effort to eliminate mine danger, international mine action community has been developing safety, efficiency and cost-effectiveness of clearance methods. Demining machines have become necessary when conducting humanitarian demining where the mechanization of demining provides greater safety and productivity. Design of Demining Machines describes the development and testing of modern demining machines in humanitarian demining. Relevant data for design of demining machines are included to explain the machinery implemented and some innovative and inspiring development solutions. Development technologies, companies and projects are discussed to provide a comprehensive estimate of the effects of various design factors and to proper selection of optimal parameters for designing the demining machines. Covering the dynamic processes occurring in machine assemblies and their components to a broader understanding of demining machine as a whole, Design of Demining Machines is primarily tailored as a text for the study of the fundamentals and engineering techniques involved in the calculation and design of demining machines. It will prove as useful resource for engineers, designers, researchers and policy makers working in this field.

"America's Buried History traces the development of landmines from their first use before the Civil War, to the early use of naval mines, through the establishment of the Confederacy's Army Torpedo Bureau, the world's first institution devoted to developing, producing, and fielding mines in warfare."--Provided by publisher,