Shock and blast waves mitigation

Abstract

Shock and blast waves propagation in complex media is one of the most important topics of current shock wave research. In the past, most of the shock wave researches dealt with shock phenomena in relatively simple configurations and fluid flow conditions. However, accounting for modern developments of shock research and its evolution into interdisciplinary applications, there is a need to study wave phenomena in complex environments such as those consisting of complex constituents. Furthermore, the prediction of damage caused by blast waves, generated by largescale explosions (see Figs. 1 and 2), either from terrorist attacks or industrial hazards has been a research problem that needs further understanding from disaster prevention point of view. These important issues have two common features: (1) understand the complex flow field induced by blast and shock waves that pass through complex media and (2) help designing new devices for protection against blast loading.