The Synergistic Effects of Combined Blast and Fragment Loadings

Abstract

The objective of this program was to determine the synergistic effects of blast and fragments on construction materials. This required the conduct of a test series to determine the structural loads and the actual failure mechanisms induced by blast loads, fragment loads and the combinations of both. The first series of tests was conducted to quantify the loads generated by the cased weapon and to establish an equivalent bare explosive charge with the same impulse distribution as the cased weapon. The second series of tests was performed in conjunction with analyses efforts to determine and compare the response modes of structural components loaded with both cased and uncased scale model weapons and to supplement future analytical developments. These tests involved scale model panels. Finally, the data was evaluated and the observed synergism was quantified. A factor of four enhancement of stress due to the synergistic effects of the blast and fragments in the concrete and fibrous concrete slabs was observed.... Synergistic effects, Blast loads, Fragments loads, Breaching, Combined loading.