MODIFICATIONS TO THE VULNERABILITY MODEL: A SIMULATION SYSTEM FOR ASSESSING DAMAGE RESULTING FROM MARINE SPILLS

This report describes several modification to the U.S. Coast Guard Vulnerability Model which have recently been incorporated. These modifications are in three areas: 1. Revisions of the plume and puff model for toxic damage assessment, to include remodeling of the plume model to reduce computer time and storage space, computing the dosage for the puff model by direct integration, and transferring dosage values computed in Phase I of the Vulnerability Model directly to Phase II. 2. Revision of thermal injury and the lethality criteria in Phase II based on recent applicable experimental thermal effects data. 3. Remodeling of the flash fire for puff and plume models to compute thermal radiation during both burning and cooling phases for experimentally determined burning rates and maximum surface temperatures.