Explosions and Shock Wave Physics

Under the Sea

Ashley Bernheisel

http://www.mcdoa.org.uk/Bang.htm

Discussion Outline

http://herald.kaist.ac.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=592
http://science.howstuffworks.com/explosion-land-water1.htm

Past underwater explosions

Above water vs. below water
Phases & Blast characteristics
Physics involved in each step
Summary of phenomena

Intro/History

Purpose of talk: general

understanding of blast
characteristics
Underwater explosion (UNDEX) can
be a chemical or nuclear explosion
under the surface of the water
Shallow vs. Deep UNDEX
Reasons for underwater bombs
Civilian/building, military
Project Seal Tsunami bomb,
tectonic weapon
First underwater nuclear explosion
Operation Crossroads in Baker
Partial Test Ban Treaty October
10, 1963
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Operation_Crossroads__Able_001.jpg

Importance of Physics Knowledge

Ripple rock Underwater, twin peaked
mountain in British Columbia
Deep/Shallow, tested
Largest non-nuclear peacetime
underwater explosion
About 3 million dollars
650,000 metric tons of rock and
water displaced
Wahoo and Umbrella
Nuclear tests at Enewetak Atoll in
1958 on USS Killen (DD-593)

http://triggerpit.com/2011/02/20/nuclear-explosions-i-ambecome-death/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enewetak_Atoll

Hand Grenade on Land vs. in Water

http://www.freebestwallpapers.info/
wallpaper/Green-Land-View-Large/

http://www.thetahoetrader.com/2013/07/
water/

http://www.stripes.com/news/coastguard-s-port-security-units-protectvessels-in-gulf-1.10040

http://www.monsterfresh.com/
2010/06/18/sasquatch-music-festivalsaturday/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M26_grenade

Air/Land Blasts vs. Water Blasts

http://chan4chan.com/archive/tags/explosion

http://www.qianyan001.com/junshi/
20111111/1320998075_67237600_4.html

Similarities: Detonation point, jet,

shock wave which accompanies
explosion, time of arrival, peak
pressure, impulse, temperature,
reflection, energy yield, etc..

Differences (In Water): Water is

difficult to compress, pressure isnt
absorbed as easily, pressure is stronger
and travels over longer distance,
human bodies molecular density is
about the same as water so a pressure
wave out of detonation range could
kill you.

http://www.fresh.co.il/vBulletin/showthread.php?t=478248

Conventional Weapon

Phase 1: Detonation
Phase 2: Shock Wave
Propagation
Phase 3: Bulk Cavitation
Phenomenon
Phase 4: Gas Bubble
Dynamics
Phase 5: Surface Effects
Phase 6: Shock Wave
Refraction Effects

Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=CBC6076szzw

http://latest-showbiznews.blogspot.com/2010/09/oil-rig-

Phase 1 of Blast: Detonation

Exothermic chemical reaction

Gaseous reactive components: high
temperature (3000 degrees Celsius),
high pressure (50,000 atm),
detonation velocity (~25,000 ft/s)
Examples: TNT, RDX, Comp B,
PBXN, HBX-1

http://www.am.chalmers.se/~thab/IMAC/2010/PDFs/
Papers/s38p003.pdf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
File:Duxford_UK_Feb2005_bouncingbomb.JPG

Phase 2 of Blast: Shock Wave Formation

Order of milliseconds
Linear vs. non linear acoustic
behavior
Examples: TNT, RDX, Comp B,
PBXN, HBX-1

Phase 3: Bulk Cavitation Phenomena

When does it occur? When a
compressive shock wave travels to
the surface and reflected back into
material as a tensile wave. (Constanzo)
Water cannot sustain tension, so
it cavitates.
Transformed into a nonhomogeneous vaporous region
Cavitated zone closes, fluid
masses collide creating water
hammer effect or secondary
shock wave
Compression pulse = bulk
cavitation closure pulse, can
mean reloading of target
https://www.google.com/search?q=underwater
+explosion&espv=210&es_sm=93&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=RwrfUtf1Kom0sQTuyoCgBA&ved=0CAk
Q_AUoAQ&biw=1026&bih=654#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=GsmO7Lle_VrRIM%253A%3BxQEwjzGeA8bG1M
%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.glockforum.com%252Fimages
%252F1%252F0%252F8%252F9%252F6%252Fshooting-a-glock-22-gun-underwater-97.jpg%3Bhttp%253A
%252F%252Fwww.glockforum.com%252Fentries%252FShooting-a-Glock-Underwater.html%3B600%3B400

Cavitation Diagram

http://www.am.chalmers.se/~thab/IMAC/2010/PDFs/Papers/s38p003.pdf

Cavitation Diagram #2

http://www.am.chalmers.se/~thab/IMAC/2010/PDFs/Papers/s38p003.pdf

Phase 4: Gas Bubble Dynamics

Gaseous products expand
Bubble diameter increases, water
has large outward velocity
Internal gas pressure decreases
Outward flow stops
Bubble contracts
Stops contracting due to
compressibility
Bubble pulse
Repeats until energy=0 or
reaches surface
http://www.am.chalmers.se/~thab/IMAC/2010/PDFs/Papers/s38p003.pdf

Gas Bubble Diagram

http://www.am.chalmers.se/~thab/IMAC/2010/PDFs/Papers/s38p003.pdf

Phase 5: Surface Effects

250 lb HBX-1, 50 ft below surface

http://www.am.chalmers.se/~thab/IMAC/2010/PDFs/Papers/s38p003.pdf

Phase 6: Shock Wave Refraction

Thermal conditions can bend
shock wave propagation from
linear acoustic path
Stand off ranges and sound
velocity profiles (iso-velocity
water, etc)
Pressure amplification,
arrival angle, relative arrival
time, phase shift

http://devour.com/video/underwater-atomic-bomb/
http://www.queststructures.com/research/DamWaterFound.html

http://www.am.chalmers.se/~thab/IMAC/2010/PDFs/Papers/s38p003.pdf

Summary

http://www.am.chalmers.se/~thab/IMAC/2010/PDFs/Papers/s38p003.pdf

References

Snay, H. G., Hydrodynamics of Underwater Explosions, Naval

Hydrodynamics Publication 515, National Academy of
Sciences National Research Council, 1957.
Britt, J. R., R. J. Eubanks and M. G. Lumsden, Underwater
Shock Wave Reflection and in Deep and Shallow Water:
Volume I A Users Manual for the REFMS Code (Version
4.0), Science Applications International Corporation, St.
Joseph, LA., DNR-TR-91-15-VI, 1991.
Constanzo, Frederick, Underwater Explosion Phenomena and
Shock Physics, Naval Surface Warfare Center Society
for Experimental Mechanics Inc, 2010.

Thank you!

http://alexisphoenix.org/sipcanal.php