Can you use these equations to calculate explosion overpressure?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the possibility of using specific equations to calculate the overpressure of a blast wave generated by an explosion, based on explosive energy and distance. Participants explore the relationship between blast wave movement and overpressure, with references to existing literature and empirical equations.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses uncertainty about the equations used in a video by Dr. Jorge S. Diaz and questions whether they can be applied to calculate blast wave overpressure.
  • Another participant requests a transcription of the problem and equations from the video to facilitate understanding.
  • A participant mentions that the equations describe the movement of a blast wave over time and wonders if similar equations can be derived for overpressure concerning distance.
  • One participant suggests consulting existing literature, specifically a 1967 report from Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab, for established equations related to air blast effects.
  • A later reply indicates a preference for a more definitive solution rather than relying on empirical equations, while acknowledging their own limitations in performing the necessary calculations.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the applicability of the equations for calculating overpressure, and multiple views regarding the reliance on literature versus original calculations are present.

Contextual Notes

Participants express varying levels of mathematical proficiency, which may affect their ability to engage with the equations discussed. There is also a mention of empirical equations, indicating potential limitations in the theoretical framework being considered.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to those studying blast wave dynamics, explosion effects, or related fields in physics and engineering, particularly individuals looking for insights into modeling and calculations related to explosive events.

Ax_xiom
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TL;DR
An idiot that shouldn't be doing graduate level maths attempts to do it to calculate a blast wave
So in this video Dr Jorge S. Diaz walks through a way to model the movement of a blast wave (with an explanation that I don't fully follow because I'm an idiot) and I'm wondering if it's possible to use the same equations to calculate the overpressure of a blast wave from a given explosive energy and distance (and vice versa)

Just as an heads up I've only done a bit of differential equations, I can interpete and solve basic ODEs and barely interprete PDEs but can't really solve them.
 
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Can you transcribe the problem and equations here, so every PF user doesn't have to go scan an hour long Youtube video to get up-to-speed?
 
Sorry
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So he uses these equations to get a formula that describes the movement of a blast wave in respects to time. I'm wondering if it's possible to do the same with overpressure in respects to distance
 
Ax_xiom said:
I'm wondering if it's possible to use the same equations to calculate the overpressure of a blast wave from a given explosive energy and distance (and vice versa)
Rather than trying to reinvent the wheel by performing calculations, you can easily answer this question by consulting the literature. For example, take a look at eq.(2) and fig. 2 in this 1967 report from Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab: Scaling the effects of air blast...
 
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renormalize said:
Rather than trying to reinvent the wheel by performing calculations, you can easily answer this question by consulting the literature. For example, take a look at eq.(2) and fig. 2 in this 1967 report from Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab: Scaling the effects of air blast...
This seems like interesting, I would have prefered to have a proper solution that wasn't an empirical equation but beggars can't be choosers (I don't know how to do the maths to do it myself)
 

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