Combat engineering risk assessment in radiologically overlapped zones under tactical operations

Abstract

This study evaluates how radioactive contamination impacts a hypothetical human population in a military combat engineering context involving navigating radiologically contaminated environments. The model considers key risk metrics, including estimated radiation exposure levels and the potential development of radiation-induced leukemia, while accounting for age and sex as important variables in radiological risk assessment. Using analytical simulations with HotSpot Health Physics software, estimates were made for individuals continuously within the 700 mSv isodose zone, a dose also linked to immediate deterministic effects such as acute radiation syndrome. To improve operational efficiency and resource use in Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear scenarios, the study discusses recommended engineering countermeasures, including optimizing route planning and protective barriers. It introduces a new proposed risk factor model that aims to measure the effects of overlapping radioactive plumes caused by changing local wind directions, highlighting increased vulnerability in transition zones. Unlike previous military or civilian radiological risk studies, this research focuses on the implications of plume interactions in real-time tactical environments, offering a useful framework for enhancing the safety and effectiveness of combat engineering operations facing radiological threats in hostile settings.