Optical measurement and scaling of blasts from gram-range explosive charges

Laboratory-scale experiments with gram-range explosive charges are presented. Optical shadowgraphy and high-speed digital imaging are used to measure the explosive-driven shock-wave position as a function of time. From this, shock Mach number-versus-distance from the explosion center can be found. These data then yield the peak overpressure and duration, which are the key parameters in determining the potential damage from an explosion as well as the TNT equivalent of the explosive. Piezoelectric pressure gage measurements of overpressure duration at various distances from the explosive charges compare well with theoretical calculations. A scaling analysis yields an approach to relate the gram-range blast to a large-scale blast from the same or different explosives. This approach is particularly suited to determining the properties and behavior of exotic explosives like triacetone triperoxide (TATP). Results agree with previous observations that the concept of a single TNT equivalence value is inadequate to fully describe an explosive yield, rather TNT equivalence factor and overpressure duration should be presented as functions of radius.