Experimental Study to Determine a Technique for Loading Reproducible Mud Layers on Urethane-Painted Metal Surfaces.

Abstract : This study established a procedure for loading reproducible mud layers on urethane-painted metal surfaces for use in laboratory decontamination studies. A technique was also developed to increase the thickness of the layer of mud by repeatedly dipping the metal surface in the mud solution after the previous layer had dried. The optimum temperature to accelerate the drying time was also determined. The results show that the optimum mud-loading procedure involves dipping test plates in a mud mixture (5 parts montmorillonite clay, 1 part silica sand, and 60 parts water) and drying in an oven at 50 C for 1 hr after each mud layer is applied. Keywords: Montmorillonite clay, Silica sand, Urethanes, Arizona road dust, Urethane-painted metal