Smoke without fire ball

Scientists and structural engineers are trying to simulate the effects of a bomb blast without the use of explosive materials.

The team from the University of California San Diego (UCSD) will use a blast simulator that generates the speed and force of explosive blasts. The technology will be used to test building components which are vulnerable to bomb blasts.

Professor Frieder Seibel, dean of the UCSD Jacobs School of Engineering, said: “Now for the first time, we will be able to create fully controlled and repeatable blast simulations. We will use these results, together with explosive field tests, to create computer tools to design and assess blast mitigation strategies for important facilities such as federal buildings and embassies, as well as critical long-span bridges.”

The simulator works through a hydraulic system that punches test specimens at speeds of up to 26 meters per second during a 1-2 millisecond pulse. The researchers plan to simulate a range of blast scenarios including the equivalent of 50 pounds of TNT detonated within a few feet of a structure.

Professor Gil Hegemier, co-leader of the project, explains: “Most people think the fireball is the dangerous part of a bomb blast, but in reality it is the blast impulse that is most dangerous to the structure.” He added: “impulses create shock waves that literally push and pull structures to the point that key load bearing elements can fail.”