Citation

Nettleton MA. J. Occup. Accid. 1976; 1(1): 3-8.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1976, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The explosion at Flixborough has focussed attention on the dangers of blast damage occurring outwith the limits of the flammable gas mixture. The present paper describes experiments in which shocks in air refract at helium and carbon dioxide interfaces, consisting of light plastic diaphragms. The strength of the resultant transmitted shock is shown to be predictable from the equations governing shock refraction at an ideal interface, providing that due allowance is made for the reflection of the incident shock at the plastic barrier. The attenuation of the transmitted shock in helium suggests that a triggered helium barrier could be used to protect structures from the blast wave produced by the explosion of a vapour cloud.