Fragmentation and

Safety Distances
Examples

MNGN 444
Spring 2016
Recommended Literature

1. Explosives Engineering - Paul W. Cooper.

2. Manual for the Prediction of Blast and Fragment Loadings in
Structures – USDOE.
3. Terminal Ballistics - Rosenberg, Deker.

2
Gurney Constants

High Explosive Gurney Constant (m/s)

TNT 2,315
ANFO 2,769
Composition B 2,843
Pentolite 2,970
Composition C4 2,801
RDX 3,205
PETN 3,425
HMX 3,198
Source: Explosives Engineering – Cooper

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Mott Distribution Factor
Mott Coefficient for Mild Steel Cylinders

High Explosive Mott Coefficient

TNT 0.0779
Composition B 0.0554
Pentolite 0.0808
RDX 0.0531

Source: Explosives Engineering – Cooper

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5
Calculate the impact velocity at 50 meters of a “worst case” fragment
generated by a cylindrical Composition B charge encased in an steel
pipe. Assume standard fragment shape and ambient air at 20˚C.
L = 250 mm
Din = 90 mm
Dout = 100 mm
ρsteel = 7.85g/cc
ρCompB = 1.65 g/cc

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Solution GURNEY
1. Mass of Steel:
𝜋
𝑀 = 𝑉𝑜𝑙 ∙ 𝜌𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑙 → 𝑀 = 𝐷𝑜2 − 𝐷𝑖 2 𝐿 ∙ 𝜌𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑙
4
𝜋
𝑀= 0.1002 − 0.0902 ∙ 0.250 ∙ 7,850 = 2.93 𝑘𝑔
4
2. Mass of Explosives:
𝜋
𝑀 = 𝑉𝑜𝑙 ∙ 𝜌𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑝𝐵 → 𝑀 = 𝐷𝑖 2 𝐿 ∙ 𝜌𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑝𝐵
4

𝜋
𝑀= 0.0902 ∙ 0.250 ∙ 1,650 = 2.62 𝑘𝑔
4
3. Fragments initial velocity:

1
−1/2 −2
𝑀 1 2.93 1
𝑉0 = 2𝐸 + → 𝑽𝟎 = 2,843 ∙ + = 𝟐, 𝟐𝟑𝟒. 𝟖𝟑 𝒎/𝒔
𝐶 2 2.62 2

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 2
Solution 𝑀0
MOTT 𝑚 = 𝑀𝑘 ln
2𝑀𝑘

4. Mott distribution factor:

5 1 𝑡 5 1 0.2
𝑀𝑘 = 𝐵 ∙ 𝑡3 ∙ 𝑑3 ∙ 1+ → 𝑀𝑘 = 0.0554 ∙ 0.2 ∙ 3.553 ∙ 1 +
3 =
𝑑 3.55

= 6.11 ∙ 10−3 𝑙𝑏1/2

5. Mass of heaviest fragment:
𝑀0 2 6.46 2
𝑚 = 𝑀𝑘 ln → 𝒎 = 6.11 ∙ 10−3 ln = 𝟏. 𝟒𝟕 ∙ 𝟏𝟎−𝟑 𝒍𝒃
2𝑀𝑘 2∙6.11∙10−3
(0.66 g)
6. Fragments cross sectional area:

3 𝑚 3 1.47∙10−3
𝑑= →𝑑= = 0.2 𝑖𝑛
0.186 0.186
(5 mm)
𝜋 ∙ 𝑑2 𝜋 ∙ 52
𝑨= →𝐴= = 𝟐𝟎 𝒎𝒎𝟐
4 4
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Solution
DRAG

7. Impact Velocity at 50 meters

20∙10−6
− ∙1.2∙0.6∙50
𝑽𝒔 = 2,234.86 ∙ 𝑒 0.66∙10−3 = 𝟕𝟓𝟎 𝒎/𝒔

NOTE: Hypervelocity impact would take place within the 5 meters range.

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10
You have been tasked to execute the disposal of a cased composition B
charge such as the one before. Because you must avoid any risk to
yourself and the possible public in the area, you have to estimate a
minimum safety perimeter against the hazards that this operation
implies.

Calculate the minimum safety perimeter for air blast and fragmentation
produced by a cylindrical Composition B charge encased in an steel pipe
and resting on the ground. Assume standard fragments shape,
elevation under 1,500 meters, and ambient air at 20˚C.
L = 250 mm (70 kg)

Din = 90 mm
Dout = 100 mm
ρsteel = 7.85g/cc
ρCompB = 1.65 g/cc

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Solution: Primary Blast Damage
1. Assuming conservative impulse values, we take the following threshold values
for lung and ear damage:

Lung Damage = 10 psi Ear Damage = 2 psi

We also assume that the people that must be outside the safety perimeter is
not wearing any ear protection so the limit peak overpressure will be 2 psi.

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Solution: Primary Blast Damage
3. Determine the scaled distance using the blast overpressure graph:

4. Minimum Safety Distance for ear damage due to blast overpressure:

1 1
𝑹 𝑊𝑇𝑎 3 2.62 ∙ 1.33 ∙ 2 ∙ 293 3
𝒁= 𝟏/𝟑
→𝑅=𝑍∙ → 𝑹 = 1.3 ∙ ≈ 𝟏𝟕 𝒎
𝑾𝑻𝒂 𝑃𝑎 1.013
𝑷𝒂
Comp B in TNT Surface Burst Double Yield
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Solution: Secondary Blast Damage
1. From the previous example, we predicted a maximum fragment of 1.47e-3 lb:

Maximum Impact Velocity = 260 ft/s

(80 m/s)

2. Considering the drag attenuation, the minimum distance at which a “worst case”
primary fragment stops being hazardous is:
𝑨
− ∙𝜸 ∙𝑪 ∙𝑹 𝑚 𝑉0 0.66∙10−3 2,234.86
𝑽𝒔 = 𝑽𝟎 ∙ 𝒆 𝒎 𝟎 𝑫 →𝑅= 𝐴𝛾0 𝐶𝐷
∙ ln 𝑉𝑠
→𝑹= 20∙10−6 ∙1.2∙0.6
ln 80
= 𝟏𝟓𝟑 𝒎

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 Solution: Tertiary Blast Damage

1. Using the values of overpressure and positive phase duration predicted for the
ear damage, we proceed to check if there is any risk of tertiary blast damage at
17 meters from the blast:
𝑡𝑑 ∙ 𝑃𝑠 3.2 ∙ 2
𝑃𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝐼𝑚𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑠𝑒 → 𝑖𝑠 ≈ = = 3.2 𝑝𝑠𝑖 ∙ 𝑠𝑒𝑐
2 2

𝑖𝑠 3.2
𝑃𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑆𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝐼𝑚𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑠𝑒 → 𝑖𝑠 = = = 0.58 𝑝𝑠𝑖 ∙ 𝑠𝑒𝑐/𝑙𝑏1/3
𝑀𝑏𝑜𝑑𝑦 1/3 1651/3

At a distance of 17 m from the blast,

an impact at more than 10 fts is
expected to occur for a human body
of 165 lb. This value is higher than the
general tolerance limit for the human
body. For this reason, we must find by
iteration the safety range for the
tertiary blast damage.

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 Solution: Tertiary Blast Damage
2. Starting with a new limit for the incident overpressure of 1.5 psi (“guessing”),
we obtain an scaled distance Z = 1.5. With this new scaled distance, the
expected positive phase duration will be td = 3.5 ms. Next, we repeat the
previous calculations

𝑡𝑑 ∙ 𝑃𝑠 3.5 ∙ 1.5
𝑃𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝐼𝑚𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑠𝑒 → 𝑖𝑠 ≈ = = 2.63 𝑝𝑠𝑖 ∙ 𝑠𝑒𝑐
2 2

𝑖𝑠 3.2
𝑃𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑆𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝐼𝑚𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑠𝑒 → 𝑖𝑠 = = = 0.48 𝑝𝑠𝑖 ∙ 𝑠𝑒𝑐/𝑙𝑏1/3
𝑀𝑏𝑜𝑑𝑦 1/3 1651/3

Finally, using the scaled distance

formula and Z = 1.5, we can obtain
the range at which an limit impact
velocity of 10 fts is expected to occur
for a human body of 165 lb. The value
obtained is approximately 19 meters.

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Solution:

The following table shows the minimum safety distance for each of the three
different blast injuries:
Blast Damage Type Minimum Safety Distance
Primary Overpressure 17 m
Secondary Fragments 153 m
Tertiary Decelerating Impact 19 m

Taking the most restrictive value, the minimum safety distance would be:

153 m

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