INTRODUCTION 



Oil spill booms are continuous barriers placed in the water and 

 extending above and below the surface to control the spread of oil or 

 other hazardous materials that have been spilled. The booms actually 

 serve two purposes: first, containment of the spill to limit damage to 

 the environment, both economic and aesthetic; and second, confinement of 

 the spill to a relatively small area to allow thickening of the oil and 

 facilitating the recovery operation. 



Although in some cases a boom is pre-positioned to guard against 

 potential spills, generally it is used in emergency situations, after an 

 accidental spill has occurred [1]. Therefore, the boom must be reliable. 

 A major factor in determining reliability of a boom is the material from 

 which it is constructed. The material must be able to withstand the 

 adverse environmental conditions to which it will normally be subjected 

 during its operational life without being degraded chemically or phys- 

 ically. 



A large number of booms are available commercially, and many 

 different types of material are used in construction. Some of these 

 materials have performed extremely well while others have failed, 

 resulting in additional problems and the hampering of the pollution 

 abatement efforts. It is necessary then to identify the materials that 

 can fulfill all the requirements for an oil spill boom. Recognizing the 

 importance of boom material, the Naval Facilities Engineering Command 

 (NAVFAC) has funded the Civil Engineering Laboratory (CEL) to investi- 

 gate suitable materials. This project is part of a larger program 

 assigned to CEL to develop systems for the total cleanup of Navy oil 

 spills: Harbor Oil-Spill Removal /Recovery Systems. 



This investigation was to define requirements for containment boom 

 material, to identify current and potential boom materials, and to 

 evaluate these materials in terms of the requirements. Results of this 

 study will provide guidance in development of specifications and procure- 

 ment of oil spill containment booms. 



The study was designed to investigate the technical acceptability 

 of materials based on published test data and other technical informa- 

 tion. No actual testing of candidate materials was conducted at CEL. 

 Emphasis was placed on investigating synthetic materials composed of a 

 woven substrate or scrim impregnated with a plastic coating or laminated 

 with a plastic surface. Plywood and metal were not considered because 

 of the bulkiness and weight generally associated with booms constructed 

 with these materials and because of problems with flexibility, storage, 

 and handling. This study was also limited to boom materials for use on 

 in-harbor oil spills where a lightweight, easy-to-handle boom is of 

 primary importance. 



