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  • © 2018

Blast Waves

  • Covers a broad area of blast waves ranging from shock tubes and gaseous detonations to high explosives and nuclear blast phenomena
  • Updated new edition includes new chapters on numerical hydrodynamics and blast injury
  • Incorporates modeling techniques and applications as well as historical analysis of the field

Part of the book series: Shock Wave and High Pressure Phenomena (SHOCKWAVE)

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eBook USD 169.00
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Softcover Book USD 219.99
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Hardcover Book USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

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Table of contents (21 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xiv
  2. Introduction

    • Charles E. Needham
    Pages 1-1
  3. Some Basic Air Blast Definitions

    • Charles E. Needham
    Pages 3-8
  4. The Rankine-Hugoniot Relations

    • Charles E. Needham
    Pages 9-17
  5. Formation of Blast Waves

    • Charles E. Needham
    Pages 19-39
  6. Ideal High Explosive Detonation Waves

    • Charles E. Needham
    Pages 41-71
  7. Cased Explosives

    • Charles E. Needham
    Pages 73-95
  8. Blast Wave Propagation

    • Charles E. Needham
    Pages 97-120
  9. Boundary Layers

    • Charles E. Needham
    Pages 121-135
  10. Particulate Entrainment and Acceleration

    • Charles E. Needham
    Pages 137-150
  11. Instabilities

    • Charles E. Needham
    Pages 151-162
  12. Measurement Techniques

    • Charles E. Needham
    Pages 163-182
  13. Scaling Blast Parameters

    • Charles E. Needham
    Pages 183-196
  14. Blast Wave Reflections

    • Charles E. Needham
    Pages 197-225
  15. Height of Burst Effects

    • Charles E. Needham
    Pages 227-281
  16. Structure Interactions

    • Charles E. Needham
    Pages 283-309
  17. External Detonations

    • Charles E. Needham
    Pages 311-321
  18. Internal Detonations

    • Charles E. Needham
    Pages 323-336
  19. Simulation Techniques

    • Charles E. Needham
    Pages 337-347
  20. Some Notes on Non-ideal Explosives

    • Charles E. Needham
    Pages 349-361

About this book

This book examines blast waves—their methods of generation, their propagation in several dimensions through the real atmosphere and layered gases, and their interactions with simple structures—thereby providing a broad overview of the field. The intended audience has a basic knowledge of algebra and a good grasp of the concepts of conservation of mass and energy. The text includes an introduction to blast wave terminology and conservation laws, and there is a discussion of units and the importance of consistency.


This new edition of Blast Waves has been thoroughly updated and includes two new chapters that cover numerical hydrodynamics and blast injury. Authored by an expert with over forty years of experience in the field of blast and shock, this book offers many lessons as well as a historical perspective on developments in the field.

Authors and Affiliations

  • Applied Research Associates, Inc., Albuquerque, USA

    Charles E. Needham

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access