One-Dimensional Blast Wave Propagation

Abstract : The report is a summary of the results of a series of experiments on one-dimensional blast wave propagation in steeltubes, diameter 5 cm and 20 cm, in a concrete tube of diameter 80 cm and in a tunnel in rock of effective diameter 6 m. The blast waves originated from detonation of TNT charges placed in the center of the tubes/tunnel. Measurements of pressure time history, employing piezoelectric pressure transducers, show that frontpressure, impulse, positive duration and time of arrival scaled according to common one-dimensional scaling laws for small distances, L/D, expressed in diameter units, and for longer distance gave deviations with L/D more or less as parameter. The effects of varying wall roughness is not investigated in detail, but estimates of exponential damping constants are given.