Measured Leakage Pressures from a Test Structure Through Covered and Uncovered Vent Areas
Abstract
Explosives processing and testing bays are often constructed with a lightweight vent panel to allow quasistatic blast pressures to vent from the bay in the event of an accidental explosion. The use of a vent panel limits the damage caused to the bay during an explosion but it allows shock waves to propagate outside the bay and load nearby bays and/or inhabited areas. These blast pressures, known as leakage pressures, have been measured in a limited number of previous experimental programs. Most of these test series have concentrated on leakage pressures through uncovered vent openings from explosions occurring at the geometric center of the bay. During a recent test program conducted at Southwest Research Institute, leakage pressures were measured through both covered and uncovered vent areas from explosions occurring at various positions with the test structure. The test series, which was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, was conducted to investigate the breakup and fragmentation of, wall panels subjected to a large blast loads. However, the geometry of the test structure used during many of the tests was such that leakage pressures could be measured concurrently with wall breakup. This paper describes the leakage pressure measurements and compares the measured leakage pressures to those measured in similar testing programs from structures of different geometry with different charge placement and venting characteristics. The effect of a vent panel on the leakage pressures is also discussed.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1992
- Accession Number
- ADA519949
Entities
People
- Charles J. Oswald
- Edward D. Esparza
- Luis M. Vargas
Organizations
- Southwest Research Institute