DEMOLITION CARD GTA 05-10-033

Supersedes GTA 05-10-033, January 1994 December 2022

DISTRIBUTION: Active Army, ARNG, USAR. To be distributed in accordance with DA Form 12-12.
Sec II requirements pertinent to TOE, 5, 7, 17, and 31 series.

See AR 385-63, Safety

Table 1. Characteristics of block demolition charges

Safety Reminders

1. In Training, safety regulations override all training considerations.

2. In combat, observe safety regulations to the fullest extent permitted by time, materials available, and
mission requirements.
3. Always handle explosives carefully.
4. Never divide responsibility for preparing, placing, priming, and firing charges. One Soldier should
supervise all phases of a demolition mission.
5. Be at least 1,000 meters away from the detonation site if in the open and at least 100 meters away if
in a missile-proof shelter when detonating explosives on steel, Bangalore torpedoes, or mines.
6. Do not mix explosives and initiators during transport.
7. Investigate and clear misfires using minimum personnel.
8. Do not take chances.
9. See Table 2 for minimum safe distances for fragmentation with troops in the open.
10. For further information, see AR 385-63, Safety.

Net Explosive Weight & Minimum Safe Distance

Net Explosive Weight (NEW) = Quantity x Weight x RE Factor (expressed in pounds of TNT)

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 Minimum Safe
Distance (MSD)

= K x ³√NEW The authorized PSI

for Training is
MSD Formula 2 PSI (K=30)
references
overpressure, it The authorized PSI
does not account for Combat is
for frag, heat, or 3 PSI (K=20)
decibels.

Minimum Safe Distances for Fragmentation

SIX-STEP PROBLEM SOLVING FORMAT

Use the six-step, problem-solving format below for charge calculations. This
format is used to determine the weight (P) of the explosives required for a demolition task
in pounds of TNT. If using an explosive other than TNT, adjust P accordingly by dividing
P for TNT by the RE factor of the explosive that will be used.
Step 1. Determine the critical dimensions of the target.
Step 2. Calculate the weight of a single charge of TNT by using the appropriate formula.
Step 3. Divide the quantity of explosive by the RE factor. (Skip this step if using TNT.)
Step 4. Determine the number of packages of explosive for a single charge by dividing
the charge weight by the standard package weight of the chosen explosive. Round this
result to the next higher, whole package. Use volumes instead of weights for special-
purpose charges (ribbon, diamond, saddle, and similar charges).
Step 5. Determine the number of charges based on the targets.
Step 6. Determine the total quantity of explosives by multiplying the number of charges
(step 5) by the number of packages per charge (step 4).

Hasty Timber

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 TIMBER CUTTING CHARGES

Internal Charges External/ Ring Charges Abatis

P=D²÷250 or P=0.004D² P=D²÷40 or P=0.025D² P=D²÷50 or P=0.02D²

Stump Removal

• Place charges(s) one foot in depth for

each foot in diameter.
• Measure diameter of stumps 12-18”
above the ground.
• Dead Stumps: Use one (1) pound of
explosive per foot of diameter.
• Live Stumps: Use two (2) pounds of
explosive per foot of diameter.
• Complete Trees: Use three (3) pounds of
explosives per foot of diameter.

STEEL CUTTING CHARGES

Block Charge
P = (3/8)A or P = 0.375A

Hasty Steel Charts

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Steel Bars, Rods, and Chains: Railroad Rails:
Up to 1” diameter = one pound of explosive 5” or more in height = one pound of explosive
Between 1”-2” = two pounds of explosives Less than 5” = ½ pound of explosive
2” or more = P=D² Frogs = two pounds of explosives
3” or more = Stagger charges (below) -Attack vulnerable points. Alternate placement
on inside of rails for 500 ft.

Special Steel Cutting

Ribbon Charge: used to cut steel targets up to 3” thick.

Charge Thickness (CT) = ½ the target thickness but never less than ½”
Charge Width (CW) = three times the target thickness
Charge Length (CL) = length of the desired cut (in inches)
Volume = (CT) x (CW) x (CL)

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 Saddle Charge: used to cut Mild steel bars Diamond Charge: used to cut High Carbon/ Alloy steel bars
(round, square, or rectangular) up to 8” diameter (round, square, or rectangular) up to 8” diameter

Volume = Long Axis x Base x 0.5 Volume = Long Axis x Short Axis x 0.5
Long Axis (LA) = Target Circumference Long Axis (LA) = Target Circumference
Base = ½ Target Circumference Short Axis = ½ Target Circumference
0.5 = Constant 0.5 = Constant

BREACHING CHARGES
P = R³KC

P= TNT Required (in pounds)

R= Breaching Radius (in feet)
K= Material Factor (see chart)
C= Tamping Factor (see chart)

Number of Charges:

N= W (width)
2R (breaching radius)

Round-off Rule for N:

If N is less than 1.25, use 1 charge
If N is 1.25-2.49, use 2 charges
If N is 2.5 or greater, round off to
nearest whole number.

Placement:
The first charge is placed (R)
Distance from one side of target.
The remaining charges are spaced
2R apart, center to center.

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Reinforced Concrete Breaching
• Provides the number of M112 packages required for breaching reinforced concrete targets.
• The method does not factor in cutting the steel. (Requires alternate methods to cut the steel.)
• Measure concrete thickness and determine tamping method.
• Reference blocks of M112
(Intersecting target thickness and
tamping method.)
• Determine Material Factor (below)
• Multiply by Material Conversion Factor
(If necessary)
• Number of Charges Formula still applies.
(N=W/2R)
• Charges are placed in the same
manner as above.

CRATERING CHARGES

Hasty Crater

N = L – 16 + 1
5
N = number of boreholes
(Round to next higher, whole number).
L = length of crater (in feet).
Measure at 45° angle or road width x 1.414.
(Round to higher foot)
16 = combined blowout of 8 feet on each side
5 = 5-foot spacing
1 = factor to convert spaces to holes

Boreholes are dug to same depth (5 feet or deeper), spaced at 5-ft intervals, loaded with 10 pounds of
explosive per foot of depth, and tamped. Dual-firing systems should be used.

Deliberate Crater

N = L – 16 + 1
5
• Boreholes alternates between
7 feet and 5 feet depths.
• End boreholes are 7 feet deep.
• Never place two 5-foot holes side by side.
• Place two 7-foot holes in middle
(if even number).
• 80 pounds of explosives in 7-foot holes.
• 40 pounds of explosives in 5-foot holes.
• Use dual-firing systems and tamp charges.

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 Deliberately placing charges produces a V-shaped crater measuring about 7-8 feet deep and 25-30
feet wide, with side slopes of 30°-37°.

Relieved-Face Crater

NF = L – 10 + 1 (Friendly side)
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NE = NF – 1 (Enemy side)

• Two lines of boreholes 8 feet apart

• 7-foot spacing between holes
• Stagger enemy and friendly holes.
• Friendly holes: 5’ deep, 40 pounds
• Enemy holes: 4’ deep, 30 pounds
• Enemy side contains one less hole
• Detonate enemy side first
(0.5-1.5 second delay)

Relieved-face craters produce a trapezoidal-shaped crater 7-8 feet deep, 25-30 feet wide, with
unequal side slopes. Enemy side slopes are approximately 25° and friendly side slopes are 30°-40°.

ABUTMENT DESTRUCTION

Abutments 5 Feet Thick or Less

Use Triple-Nickel-Forty

• 40-pound cratering charges

• 5-feet-deep boreholes
• 5-feet-spacing
• 5-feet behind face of abutment

N = W -1
5
N = number of charges
(Round up to whole number)
W = abutment width
5 = center mass distance between holes
1 = convert spaces to holes

Abutments Over 5 Feet Thick

Use Breaching Charges (P = R³KC)

N= W (width)
2R (breaching radius)

• Abutment thickness = Breaching radius

• Place charges 3 feet below bridge seat
• C = tamping method used
• K = material of abutment

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Abutments Over 20 Feet High

Place a row of Breaching Charges on the

gap-side of the abutment, in addition to
abutment destruction method used above.

Attack intermediate supports when necessary or if desired.

• External Charges placed at base of pier or higher. Charges spaced more than twice the breaching
radius. Stagger the charges to leave a jagged surface and tamp if possible.
• Internal Charges place in demolition chambers (if available) or in drilled boreholes. A 2” diameter hole
holds approximately 2 pounds of explosive per foot of depth. Stem with non-sparking tool.
• Counterforce Charge is a breaching
technique for rectangular masonry or
concrete columns 4 feet thick or less.
P = 1.5 x T
T = Target thickness (Round to ½ foot)

Single Line Ditching

• Detonate a single row of charges along

centerline of proposed ditch.
• Widen with subsequent lines of charges.
• Place in areas where natural erosion
will aid in grading.
• Ditches should be sloped at a rate of
2-4 feet of depth per 100 feet.

Gun Destruction
Formula:
• Block barrel above breach. Tamp first meter with earth. P = D²/ 636
• Load projectile if available.
• Pack explosives into breach (M112 preferred) P = quantity of explosive (any HE, in pounds)
• Close breach block as far as possible. D = bore size of barrel (in millimeters)
• Attack drive wheels (tracked) and wheels/axels (towed) 636 = constant
Hasty Chart:

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 EXPEDIENT DEMOLITIONS

Shaped Charge Platter Charge

Platter: Steel 2-6 pounds (round preferred)

Explosive Quantity: equal to weight of platter

Cavity Liner: preferably copper, tin, zinc, or glass

Grapeshot Charge
Cavity Angle: Between 30-60° (42-45° preferred)

Explosive Height: 2 times height of cone

Standoff: 1 ½ times diameter of cone

Detonating Cord Wick

Consists of container (ammunition can or number

10 can), projectiles (nails, bolts, scrap metal),
buffer material (soil, leaves, cloth, cardboard,
Used to enlarge boreholes. One strand of wood), and an explosive charge.
Detonating cord enlarges hole by 1".
Explosive: stemmed uniformly in container, equal
Tape desired number of 5–6-foot strands of to 25% of projectile weight.
detonating cord together (onto stick if available).
Use inserting rod to place wick into hole. Buffer: 2 inches of material on top of explosive.

Projectiles: placed on top of buffer and secured.

Expedient Flame Fougasse

Used for defensive/ offensive incendiary, illuminating,
and signaling effects.

Mix: 3 ounces of M4 thickening compound per gallon

of fuel.

Kicker Charge: 2 pounds of TNT or 1 block M112,

placed on base of container. Place buffer and steel
wool between charge and container. Wrap 5-7 strands
of det cord on top end of container, tie into line main.

Place container in trench at 45° angle and tamp with 3

feet of soil.

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 MISFIRES
Do not handle misfires down range until the required 30-minute waiting period for primary and secondary
initiation systems has elapsed and other safety precautions have been taken. Failure to
comply may cause death or permanent injury.

The following procedures are used to avoid a misfire:

• Use dual-firing systems where appropriate. Ensure that the det cord, shock tube, or low strength det cord in the
blasting cap holder is in contact with the blasting cap. Do not mix the det cord, shock tube, or low strength det cord
in the same M9 holder.
• Mark or cover blasting caps with sandbags or other clearly identifiable markers to prevent damage.
• Prime buried charges with an M151, M152, or det cord.
• Perform tamping with care to avoid damage to the charges and the priming system. Always use non-sparking tool.
• Initiate charges according to the correct technique.
• Inspect visually the firing system before initiation.

The most common cause of a misfire in a shock tube firing system is usually the M81 igniter:
• A failure with the M81 will occur if the primer does not fire. If, after two retries, the M81 does not result in firing, cut
the shock tube, replace the igniter with a new one, and repeat the firing procedure.
• Another misfire mode for the M81 is that the primer fires but blows the shock tube out without it firing. This is
usually due to the shock tube not having been properly seated in the igniter. To correct this problem, cut a
minimum of 3 feet from the end of the shock tube and check for the presence of explosive powder. If powder is
present, replace the igniter and repeat the firing procedure.

DEMOLITION AND EXPLOSIVE RESOURCES

DODIC DESCRIPTION UI
A011 CTG, 12 GAGE SHOTGUN 00 BUCKSHOT EA
AA54 CTG, 12 GAGE BREACHING RD EA
AX14 12 GAGE PRIMERS EA
K917 FUEL THICKENER M4 EA
M023 CHG, DEMO BLK 1-1/4# C4 (M112) EA
M026 BANGALORE TORPEDO M1A1 EA
M028 BANGALORE TORPEDO M1A2 EA
M032 CHG, DEMO BLK 1LB TNT EA
M039 CHG, DEMO CRATERING 40LB EA
M060 CHG, DEMO ROLL M186 (FLEX EX) FT
M420 SHAPED CHARGE, 15LB COMP B EA
M421 SHAPED CHARGE, 40LB COMP B EA
M456 CORD, DET TYPE-1, 50 GRAINS PER FOOT FT
M591 MILITARY DYNAMITE (M1) EA
M980 CHG, DEMO SHEET ROLL 38FT PETN NEW/FT, (C2 DETASHEET) FT
ML47 CAP, BLST NON-ELEC 30FT SHK TUBE (M11) EA
MM24 CHG, DEMO FLEX LIN SHPD MK142-0 NEW/FT, (300 gr/ft) FT
MM30 CHG, DEMO FLEX LIN H-6 MK140-0 (WG20 Booster), 20 GRAMS EA
MN02 CAP, BLST LOW STRENGTH NON-ELEC, 500FT SHOCK TUBE (M12) EA
MN03 CAP, BLST LOW STRENGTH NON-ELEC, 1000FT SHOCK TUBE (M13) EA
MN06 CAP, BLST NON-ELEC 5 MINUTE TIME FUSE DELAY (M14) EA
MN07 CAP, BLST NON-ELEC, 25 AND 200 MS DELAY, 70FT SHOCK TUBE (M15) EA
MN08 IGNITER, BLST TIME FUSE (M81) EA
MN12 FIRING DEVICE, HANDHELD MK55 MOD 1 EA
MN39 CAP, BLST NON-ELEC 10FT SHK TUBE (M16) EA
MN41 CAP, BLST NON-ELEC 20 MINUTE TIME FUSE DELAY (M18) EA
MN68 BOOSTER NON-ELEC, 10FT DETONATING CORD (M151) EA
MN69 BOOSTER NON-ELEC, 30FT DETONATING CORD (M152) EA
MN79 DEMO KIT BREACHING SYSTEM (APOBS) EA
MN86 CAP, BLST NON-ELEC 200FT MINI-TUBE (M19) EA
MN88 CAP, BLST NON-ELEC W/500FT MINITUBE (M21) EA
MN90 CAP, BLST IN-LINE INITIATOR NON-ELEC 1000FT MINITUBE (M23) EA

REFERENCE: TM 3-34.82/MCRP 3-34.2, Explosives and Demolitions (7 March 2016)

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