Damage distant airblast from MINOR SCALE

Technical Report · Fri Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1986

OSTI ID:6177176

Reed, J W

An unexpected change in winds at 4-5 km MSL caused airblast ducting and focusing on Carrizozo, NM, 60 km east from MINOR SCALE. In result, this 4.8-kt ANFO (ammonium nitrate-fuel oil) explosion test, rattled the town with 300 Pa (0.0435 psi) overpressure, according to the microbarograph records. Four large (8 x 10 ft) store windows are broken. Weather data which were collected during this event show that conditions changed near shot time, as needed to explain this result. It appears that the variability of winds over the mountains region around WSMR is appreciably larger than over flatter terrain, so that airblast propagation predictions are subject to significant error. Microbarographs are essential in surrounding communities, to document the explosion airblast strength when unexpectedly enhanced blasts occur. The provided empirical model for estimating window damage from expected overpressure appeared to work well. As expected, large windows were the first to fail from the blast.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA). Ground Motion and Seismic Div.
• OSTI ID: 6177176
• Report Number(s): AD-P-005362/9/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
450100* -- Military Technology
Weaponry
& National Defense-- Chemical Explosions & Explosives
ATMOSPHERIC EXPLOSIONS
BAROMETERS
BLAST EFFECTS
CHEMICAL EXPLOSIONS
COMMUNITIES
EXPLOSIONS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
OPENINGS
PRESSURE GAGES
SIMULATION
WIND
WINDOWS