Blast/Fire Interactions: Analysis of Parametric Sensitivity and Large-Scale Experimental Determination of Ignition Thresholds

摘要

This report describes activities in three areas of technical services in the research field of blast/fire interactions. Two are concerned with parametric sensitivity in predictive modeling, the third with verification of laboratory ignition thresholds using a large field-test source of intense thermal radiation. Airblast effects are shown to be a major source of uncertainty in assessment of fire effects of a nuclear explosion. Blast caused fires may be more important than primary fires in the regions experiencing lower over-pressures, but current inadequacies in secondary fire modeling severely limit the comparisons. Moreover, airblast extinction introduces very large uncertainties in estimates of initial fire incidence, and blast damage to structures introduces similarly large uncertainties in evaluation of the further destruction from fire spread and possible mass fire development. The large scale ignition experiments generally confirmed laboratory-based predictions. Mixed fuel results were inconclusive.