Use of Water-filled Bags to Reduce the Effects of Explosives

摘要

This paper describes work by Dell Explosives and Edinburgh University on the suppression of the effects of explosions by water bags. Four fields of application are considered. Details of practical construction, the physics of suppression, deployment and the psychology of irritating noise are discussed. Civilian Building Demolition. It is now considered desirable that some of the high rise apartment blocks built in Britain during the sixties should be demolished. They are often close to other buildings so that there is danger from blast fragments and nuisance from dust. Reducing these is of greater importance than reducing noise which provides the crowds of spectators with pleasure and excitement. Explosives are usually placed in vertical walls and columns. Labor costs and the problems of gaining safe access to high outside walls are important. Disposal of Surplus. Disposal of Used but Unexploded Weapons A substantial fraction of the explosives used in wars fail to operate properly and are found decades after the end of hostilities. People in France are still being killed by explosives from the 1914-18 war and even a few in America from the civil war. There is no particular time pressure and nobody would complain about noise. However there is no control of the site and the distances to adjacent properties may be very short. Stored Munitions Enormous quantities of military explosives are no longer needed. It is expensive to guard them and to move them to the most remote disposal sites. Controlled burning may cause more pollution and can lead to inadvertent high- order explosions. Time pressures are not great, anti-handling devices will not be active, items will be in reasonable condition and well identified. The disposal site can be chosen and excavation is possible. Operations can be planned so that long storage life of the suppression equipment is not essential.