LANL Skid Testing Summary

Abstract

Our improved understanding of the processes occurring during complex drop / skid events has explained the previously observed scatter in skid and drop test data, and provided new insights into effective mitigation strategies. However, it has been perceived to undermine our current safety assumptions, which is inaccurate. We have no reason to believe that our safety margin from HEVR (the event of concern) is any different to that previously assumed – we just have a much better experimental and theoretical basis by which to measure it more accurately. Until this work is complete or, at least, more mature, we cannot draw any conclusions on whether we are more or less safe than we thought, but we know that use of cushioned surfaces, along with sensible housekeeping, mitigates the potential activation of the skid-grit mechanism.