Experimental Test of the Acoustic-Impedance Model for Underwater Blast Wave Transmission through Plate Materials
Publication: Journal of Engineering Mechanics
Volume 143, Issue 4
Abstract
Previous work has shown that the acoustic-impedance model does not accurately predict blast wave transmission through plates of 10 different materials in air. In this work, results are presented for experimental tests of predictions of the acoustic-impedance model for blast wave transmission through the same 10 materials under water. Underwater blasts were created in a laboratory, and peak blast pressures were measured at symmetric locations: one where the blast wave travelled through the material and another where the blast wave reached the high-speed pressure sensor directly through the water. The acoustic-impedance model did not accurately predict underwater blast wave transmission, with a root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 22% in predicted transmission ratios and a correlation of between predicted and measured transmissions. Measured transmission ratios were better described by a linear model based on material density, with an RMSE under 5% and a correlation of .
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Acknowledgments
This work was funded by the United States Air Force Academy and BTG Research. The present study was motivated, in part, by comments of an anonymous referee on an earlier study (Courtney et al. 2012b) to consider the applicability of the acoustic-impedance model to blast wave transmission under water.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Engineering Mechanics
Volume 143 • Issue 4 • April 2017
Copyright
©2017 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Apr 3, 2016
Accepted: Sep 30, 2016
Published ahead of print: Jan 23, 2017
Published online: Jan 24, 2017
Published in print: Apr 1, 2017
Discussion open until: Jun 24, 2017
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