The Measurement of Airblast Parameters on the Minor Uncle Explosion Event Using Passive Instrumentation.
Abstract
This report covers the measurement by the author of two of the fundamental blast parameters associated with explosions in air, i.e., dynamic pressure impulse (DPI), and blast pressure. The report illustrates how valuable a role inexpensive, passive instrumentation can play in measurement, especially in large scale field experiments. The gauges which form the subjects of this report were used most recently on the multi-national, large scale field event, MINOR UNCLE, which was a high explosive test at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, on 10 June, 1993. Both of the gauges used for these measurements were developed at AMRL but at different times, to satisfy vastly different requirements. Australia was requested to participate in MU by carrying out the measurement of DPI for comparison with other measurements of the same parameter. The range of interest to overseas scientists was 0.5 kPa 5 to well in excess of 20 kPa 5. This range greatly exceeded the capability of the Australian gauge. This is discussed fully in the report. The Australian DPI gauge was a modification of a design which was developed for the BLOWDOWN airblast experiment which was held in 1963 in a tropical rain forest in northern Australia. This gauge was also used on the DISTANT PLAIN series at Defence Research Establishment, Suffield(S) and Hinton, Alberta, Canada, in 1966/7. Although the gauge was not designed originally for use with explosions having a yield much greater than 500 tonnes TNT equivalence, its use in a modified form has proven quite successful on MINOR UNCLE (MU). The second gauge, a self recording, peak reading, blast pressure gauge, was developed in the 1980s to provide a simple means of blast measurement for use by relatively unskilled military people engaged in training exercises.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1996
- Accession Number
- ADA319210
Entities
People
- J. S. Howe
Organizations
- Defence Science and Technology Group