This is a broad-based text on the fundamentals of explosive behavior and the application of explosives in civil engineering, industrial processes, aerospace applications, and military uses.
Introduction to the Technology of Explosives Paul W. Cooper and Stanley R. Kurowski Introduction to the Technology of Explosives is a clear and concise survey of the technologies and physical processes involved in explosive phenomena. The book is intended to provide the worker new to the field with sufficient background to understand problems that may arise and to interact intelligently with specialists in the field. The book covers the fundamentals of the chemistry of explosives; the mechanics of burning; sound, shock, and detonation; initiation and initiators; scaling in design and analysis; and off-the-shelf explosive devices. It provides the basic calculational skills needed to solve simple, first-order engineering design problems, and emphasizes the crucial importance of safety considerations. The book contains a broad range of data on explosive materials, and their properties and behavior, along with extensive lists of useful references. Example problems with solutions are provided in each technical area, as are descriptions and analysis of a wide variety of explosive devices. The book concludes with a thorough and comprehensive description of regulatory requirements for the classification, transportation, and storage of explosives, and an extensive guide to explosives safety in plant and test facilities. This book will be of interest to explosives technicians and engineers, government regulators, crime and accident scene investigators, and instructors in military, police, and FBI bomb schools.
This graduate text, and Cooper's companion introductory text ('Introduction to the Technology of Explosives'), serve the same markets as the successful explosives reference by Meyer, now in its 4th edition. VCH also published the International Journal of Propellants, Explosives, and Pyrotechnics. The resulting package would give VCH the major presence in the field. This text presents the basic technologies used in the engineering of explosives and explosive systems, i.e., chemistry, burning, detonation, shock waves, initiation theories, scaling. The book is written for upper-division undergraduate or graduate-level scientists and engineers, and assumes a good grasp of basic physics, chemistry, mechanics and mathematic through calculus. It is based on lecture notes used for graduate courses at the Dept. of Energy Laboratories, and could serve as a core text for a course at schools of mining or military engineering. The intent of the book is to provide the engineer or scientist in the field with an understanding of the phenomena involved and the engineering tools needed to solve/ design/ analyze a broad range of real problems.
The unrivaled, definitive reference for almost 40 years, this classic work on explosives is now in its seventh, completely revised and updated edition. Some 500 monographic entries, arranged alphabetically, consider the physicochemical properties, production methods, and safe applications of over 120 explosive chemicals. In addition, 70 fuels, additives, and oxidizing agents are discussed as well as the corresponding test methods. Trade, company, and military short names are provided for many of the materials listed, while further key features include a combined index and glossary with terms and abbreviations in English, French, and German, as well as conversion tables and many literature references. Finally, this indispensable source also contains safety data and transport regulations.
This book compiles a variety of experimental data on blast waves. The book begins with an introductory chapter and proceeds to the topic of blast wave phenomenology, with a discussion on Rankine-Hugoniot equations and the Friedlander equation, used to describe the pressure-time history of a blast wave. Additional topics include arrival time measurement, the initiation of detonation by exploding wires, a discussion of TNT equivalency, and small scale experiments. Gaseous and high explosive detonations are covered as well. The topics and experiments covered were chosen based on the comparison of used scale sizes, from small to large. Each characteristic parameter of blast waves is analyzed and expressed versus scaled distance in terms of energy and mass. Finally, the appendix compiles a number of polynomial laws that will prove indispensable for engineers and researchers.
A purpose of science is to organize diversified factual knowledge into a coherent body of information, and to present this from the simplest possible viewpoint. This is a formidable task where our knowledge is incomplete, as it is with explosions. Here one runs the risk of oversimplification, naivete, and incom pleteness. Nevertheless a purpose of this work is to present as simply as possible a general description of the basic nature of explosions. This treatise should be of interest to all who are working with explosives such as used in construction or in demolition work, in mining operations, or in military applications. It should also be of interest to those concemed with disasters such as explosions or earthquakes, to those involved in civil defense precautions, and to those concemed with defense against terrorists. That is, this material should be of interest to all who wish to utilize, or to avoid, the effects of explosions as weil as to those whose interest is primarily scientific in nature.
This is the first comprehensive overview of this topic. It serves as a single source for information about the properties, preparation, and uses of all relevant primary explosives. The first chapter provides background such as the basics of initiation and differences between requirements on primary explosives used in detonators and igniters. The authors then clarify the influence of physical characteristics on explosive properties, focusing on those properties required for primary explosives. Furthermore, the issue of sensitivity is discussed. All the chapters on particular groups of primary explosives are structured in the same way, including introduction, physical and chemical properties, explosive properties, preparation and documented use. The authors thoroughly verified all data and information. A unique feature of this book are original microscopic images of some explosives.
Explosion Blast Response of Composites contains key information on the effects of explosions, shock waves, and detonation products (e.g. fragments, shrapnel) on the deformation and damage to composites. The book considers the blast response of laminates and sandwich composites, along with blast mitigation of composites (including coating systems and energy absorbing materials). Broken down under the following key themes: Introduction to explosive blast response of composites, Air explosion blast response of composites, Underwater explosion blast response of composites, and High strain rate and dynamic properties of composites, the book deals with an important and contemporary topic due to the extensive use of composites in applications where explosive blasts are an ever-present threat, such as military aircraft, armoured vehicles, naval ships and submarines, body armour, and other defense applications. In addition, the growing use of IEDs and other types of bombs used by terrorists to attack civilian and military targets highlights the need for this book. Many terrorist attacks occur in subways, trains, buses, aircraft, buildings, and other civil infrastructure made of composite materials. Designers, engineers and terrorist experts need the essential information to protect civilians, military personnel, and assets from explosive blasts. - Focuses on key aspects, including both modeling, analysis, and experimental work - Written by leading international experts from academia, defense agencies, and other organizations - Timely book due to the extensive use of composites in areas where explosive blasts are an ever-present threat in military applications
Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) are a type of unconventional explosive weapon that can be deployed in a variety of ways, and can cause loss of life, injury, and property damage in both military and civilian environments. Terrorists, violent extremists, and criminals often choose IEDs because the ingredients, components, and instructions required to make IEDs are highly accessible. In many cases, precursor chemicals enable this criminal use of IEDs because they are used in the manufacture of homemade explosives (HMEs), which are often used as a component of IEDs. Many precursor chemicals are frequently used in industrial manufacturing and may be available as commercial products for personal use. Guides for making HMEs and instructions for constructing IEDs are widely available and can be easily found on the internet. Other countries restrict access to precursor chemicals in an effort to reduce the opportunity for HMEs to be used in IEDs. Although IED attacks have been less frequent in the United States than in other countries, IEDs remain a persistent domestic threat. Restricting access to precursor chemicals might contribute to reducing the threat of IED attacks and in turn prevent potentially devastating bombings, save lives, and reduce financial impacts. Reducing the Threat of Improvised Explosive Device Attacks by Restricting Access to Explosive Precursor Chemicals prioritizes precursor chemicals that can be used to make HMEs and analyzes the movement of those chemicals through United States commercial supply chains and identifies potential vulnerabilities. This report examines current United States and international regulation of the chemicals, and compares the economic, security, and other tradeoffs among potential control strategies.