Influence of homemade ammonium nitrate and fuel oil explosives charge shapes on blast wave propagation

Abstract

The purpose of the paper is to investigate the influence of geometry of charges on the propagation of blast waves. Various shape charges (cylinder, sphere, irregular shape) were used in the field tests. The main type of explosive, homemade ANFO (Ammonium nitrate + fuel oil), was used as the most common used explosives in improvised explosive devices used in terrorist attacks. Characteristics of homemade and industrially made ANFO explosives are different. There were comparing charges of various types of industrially produced types of explosives and homemade explosive in the field tests. The blast wave propagation were investigated and compared.