A simplified trajectory analysis for some wind-generated missiles

Abstract

Theoretical solutions for trajectories and velocities of wind-generated, airborne missiles injected into a uniform steady wind are developed in terms of elementary analytic functions. These trajectories are utilized, in conjunction with a graphical procedure, to determine the type and kinetic state of missiles which potentially could strike a ‘target’ building; these missiles generated by a given set of ‘source’ buildings in the vicinity. The solutions are useful for safety analyses of nuclear structures for the hazard of missiles generated in high wind fields. As an illustrative example, the techniques developed herein are applied to a particular target building (with missile source buildings in the vicinity) located at the Hanford Works, Richland, Washington. The postulated missile-generating environment considered in this example is a non-cyclonic, uniform constant velocity wind field of 59.1 m s −1.