O-221 Defects Lexicon Survey Results & Agreed Terms

Defects in energetic materials are relatively common and can have a significant impact on the safety and reliability of munitions, yet there is a lack of clarity in the use of terminology for describing and classifying these defects. Inconsistencies in the definition or application of defect-related terms can make communication difficult, particularly when attempting to describe the causes of defects, their criticality, and controls to mitigate their impact on safety and performance.

The munitions safety community had recognized this problem and approached MSIAC for assistance.  Following many discussions and multiple iterations over two years, MSIAC has produced a largely self-consistent taxonomy and lexicon of terms related to defects in energetic materials and munition systems, based on the paradigm of materials science and engineering.  The community was approached to complete a survey of 66 terms related to defects.  The analysis resulted in a lexicon of 40 terms related to the structure and composition of materials with a fiche per term including definition, taxonomy identification, and references.  The discussions surrounding each term and justification for any revision of the definition are also included.

The result is a standardised and consistent defect language for the benefit of the munitions community to enable users to describe what they are observing with clarity, precision, and most importantly, commonality.  This will improve our ability to work across borders and disciplines, improving interoperability.  It is acknowledged that this lexicon will require many iterations until the community can agree on a single term to describe a specific defect.

(NB This report is an abridged version of MSIAC report L-258 Defects Lexicon: Survey Results & Agreed Terms, published Feb. 2021)