20. DEMOLITION MATERIALS

a. Explosives. Half- and quarter-pound blocks of compressed TNT and nitrostarch, respectively, are supplied for demolitions and like purposes. These may be used either by themselves with any of the firing mechanism (sec. V) equipped with a detonator, or may be used to augment any of the mines described herein.

NOTE: Nitrostarch is more sensitive than TNT, consequently nitrostarch blocks will not be crusehd or broken.

b. Primacord. Primacord consists of a flexible tube filled with high explosive. It is ordi-narily used to transmit a detonation from a blasting cap to a charge of high explosive or from one charge of high explosive to another without requiring the use of a second cap. In addition to its function of transmitting a detonation, primacord contains enough high explosive so that it may be used as the main charge of a booby trap by making a flat coil about 3 inches in diameter of 12 to 20 feet of primacord and taping nails, empty cartrid-ge cases or other metal fragments around it.

c. Cratering Charges. Charge of 40 pounds of ammonium nitrate, sensitized with TNT, are furnished for blasting craters in roadways and for similar demolition work. The charge (fig. 15.1) is inclosed in a metal or paper container 8.5 inches in diameter. The metal container is 17 inches long; the paper container is 17.5 inches long. Clips for se-curing blasting caps or primacord are attached to the container. Cratering charges are packed in individual wooden boxes; the box for the metal container is 1.55 by 0.80 by 0.80 feet; that for the paper packed charges is 1.89 by 0.81 by 0.80 feet.

Figure 15.1 EXPLOSIVE, ammonium nitrate (cratering charge) in metal
container.