Sizing Explosives in War Head for Blast Effect

Abstract

The detonation of an explosive results in the production and consequent violent release of compressed gases. The energy produced propagates quickly through the medium (air or water), causing pressure variations, forming an explosive wave, which propagates at a speed greater than that of sound. This wave front, with high dynamic pressure and supersonic speed, is known as a shock wave and gives the detonation enormous rupture power. The terminal effect of this shock wave is called Breath or blast effect. This work studies the blast effect generated by a shock wave on military targets, describes the relationship between detonation pressure and explosive mass, aiming to optimize the quantity of explosives, as well as their distance from the target to be neutralized. Knowing, through mathematical methods and equations, the pressure generated by the shock wave resulting from the detonation of a certain amount of chemical explosive at a certain distance from the focus, as well as the limits supported by certain structures, it is possible, with the relationship of these parameters, prepare dynamic tables in electronic spreadsheets, generating quick-to-read graphs that can assist in sizing the mass of explosives for the effect of blowing on heads of war to cause damage to a specific target.