A Summary of Methods for Computing the Degradation of Structural Elements Due to the Thermal and Thermal-Blast Effects of Nuclear Weapons

Abstract

This report reviews and summarizes an existing large body of work on the effects of thermal radiation alone and thermal radiation combined with air blast effects on military structures or systems. All nuclear weapon phenomena were considered in order to find the ranges where thermal and thermal-blast effects are the most important. Methodology for computing thermal and thermal-blast effects is summarized and references are given to provide the omitted details. The methods given were all used to compute effects in simple structural elements which are taken to be components of larger structures or systems. Graphs for thermal effects are presented which allow estimates of the resulting peak temperatures but no corresponding result exists for stresses due to thermal-blast effects. Instead, examples are given to illustrate general principles and computer programs are referenced for the solving of specific problems.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 26, 1976
Accession Number
ADA025765

Entities

People

  • Donald M. Wilson

Organizations

  • Naval Ordnance Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Counter WMD
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accidents
  • Aluminum Alloys
  • Blast
  • Blast Loads
  • Boundary Layer
  • Computational Fluid Dynamics
  • Computational Science
  • Crystal Structure
  • Differential Equations
  • Gamma Rays
  • Heat Energy
  • Heat Transfer
  • Mechanical Properties
  • Mechanics
  • Nuclear Radiation
  • Temperature Gradients
  • Tensile Strength

Readers

  • Calculus or Mathematical Analysis
  • Explosive Engineering.
  • Thermal Physics or Thermal Science.