International Test and Evaluation Program for Humanitarian Demining (ITEP)

Name:	Outdoor Test Facility
Short description:	An open test field, incorporating a test lane with multiple soil types and automatic scanning gantries.
Category: Type:	Mechanical Equipment	Detector	Protection Equipment	EOD	Other
		Metal detector, Others

Point of contact

Name:	Adam Lewis
Function:	Project officer
Phone / Fax:	Tel: +39 0332 78 5786 Fax: +39 0332 78 5469
Email:

General information

Indoor / outdoor:	Outdoor
Test area (m²):	5000 (50m×100m)
Explosive allowed:	Type 2 SUMS in small quantities
Services:	Elec. (230V)
Working office:	Size (m²)	Heating / Cooling	Phone / Fax	Internet access
(for visiting users)	15	No	Yes / No	No

Description

The main outdoor facility is a test lane of 80m by 5.4m soil area, equipped with two aluminium gantries running on a rail system. Each gantry can take loads of up to about 200kg and each is fitted with a 2m´ 5.5m computer-controlled x-y positioner, covering the full width of the lane to 1mm resolution. One gantry may be hauled along the entire lane using a motor (speed 1 m/s typical). External users are able to mount their sensor systems on the scanning frame (loads of up to 15-30kg) and test the capability for detecting targets in the test lane. The test lane is also suitable for the evaluation of hand-held detection instruments.

A reference plot near the centre of the lane has a sliding tent cover and is separated in the ground by a heavy gauge PVC liner with drainage.

A length of about 50m of the test lane is currently configured with 236 test targets buried in 7 soil types (see below).

Monitoring sensors are installed for soil temperature and moisture, air temperature and humidity, rainfall, wind speed, wind direction and solar radiation.

Beside the test lane there is an open area, offering the possibility of testing vehicle-mounted mine detection systems.

Photo

Test Area : Test Lane
Area (m²)	Target type	AP/AT mines	Purpose	Type of vegeta-tion	Type of soil	Natural /Artifi-cial	Topo-graphy	Date in ground
32		AP	Multi sensor tests	grass	loam	N	flat	August 2000
32		AP		none	loam	N	flat
32	Type 6 SIMS,	AP		none	sandy	N	flat
32	type 8	AP		none	pure sand	A	flat
32	calibra-tion	AP		none	clay	N	flat
32	targets	AP		none	loam/ peat	A	flat
32	and clutter	AP		none	magnetic	N	flat

FACILITIES