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Science and Technology of Energetic Materials

Vol.63, No.1 (2002)

Research paper

Evaluation of magnitude of an explosion from dimensions of crater formed in ground comprising gravel under a concrete slab
Yoshio Nakayama, Ken Okada, Tomoharu Matsumura, Toshiaki Minta, Noriaki Matsuura, Kazushige Kato, Akihiko Yamamoto,
and Masatake Yoshida
p.26-33

Abstract

Crater size,which is directly obtainable from the effects of an explosion,is regarded as an important qualitative measure of its magnitude. The relationship between quantity of explosive and crater size has been examined in detail for various kinds of rocks and soils. However, no empirical equation for evaluating the magnitude of an explosion (relation between creter size of ground and charge mass) is available when an accidental explosion occurs above a concrete slab, and a crater is formed under the concrete slab. Most studies center on high explosives, and there is little data for smokeless powders. In the present paper, the relationship between crater size and charge mass for a high explosive and two types of smokeless powders are reported under conditions where a concrete slab is present between the explosive and the ground. We also estimated TNT equivalents for smokeless powders from crater volume. The observed results were compared with the calculated values and a reasonable agreement was found.

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