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U.S. Department of Energy
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Blast wave effects at short distances

Conference ·
OSTI ID:6806844

The peak shock overpressures for a blast wave have been calculated by several methods, and the results have been verified by a large number of experimental measurements. The use of the standard overpressure curve, however, may lead to serious underestimation of blast wave effects at very short distances (probably at scaled distances of less than one meter). We have calculated the blast wave from a detonating sphere of explosive using the one-dimensional reactive hydrodynamics code HYDROX, and have obtained good agreement with the standard curve. To describe the interaction of the blast wave with a flat plate, the calculation was also done with the two-dimensional code 2DE (with a much coarser mesh). The air shock matches into the plate at the predicted pressure, but a second, stronger shock is then produced by the arrival of the detonation products. The strength of the second shock decays more rapidly with distance than the first (air) shock. This effect has been verified experimentally. 7 refs., 6 figs.

Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-36
OSTI ID:
6806844
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-87-130; CONF-8602112-1; ON: DE87005107
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English