A Double-Charge Technique to Measure Face-on Blast

Abstract : Measurements were made of air blast parameters at the midpoint of a line joining 2 equal weight explosive charges. The explosive used was 50/50 Pentolite with dual 1 or 8 lb spheres being detonated simultaneously. The pressure transducer employed was a BRL pancake pressure gage employing a synthetic piezoelectric ceramic as the sensing element. A satisfactory simulation of reflection of a blast wave from a rigid wall was obtained. The pressure-time histories of the colliding waves were measured using gages which were developed for side-on blast experiments. These measurements agree with data obtained by other techniques. The data constitutes the first direct measurements with calibrated gages, of the pressure-time history of a face-on blast at scaled distances as small as Z = 1.5 ft/lb (1/3).