Modeling of the Non-Auditory Response to Blast Overpressure. The State of Modeling Blast Injury
Abstract
To understand the importance of the findings of the modeling project and to appreciate the need for extending those ideas, it is necessary to review the state of knowledge of blast overpressure injury at the time that the modeling project was initiated and how the needs of Army have evolved. In the early 1980's, two methods existed for assessing blast overpressure injury: one, Military Standard 1474B (Ref. 1), for use in occupational situations, and the other, the Bowen curves (Ref. 2), for use in combat conditions. Mil. Std. 1474-B is a standard developed for predicting auditory hazard based on observed values of peak pressure level and duration. It contains the so-called 'Z-line, ' above which no soldier should be exposed because of possible nonauditory injury that no amount of hearing protection could prevent. The nature of that injury is unspecified and the curve was not based on any observational data, although it might have reflected the intuition of the committee. The other curves in the standard were based primarily on small calibre weapons and, at the time of its creation, the Z-line was well removed from any operational weapon system.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1990
- Accession Number
- ADA223667
Entities
People
- James H. Stuhmiller