The effects of advanced structural materials to mitigate explosive and impact threats

In a world of ever newer and modified improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that are very common in certain parts of the world, it is always more important to improve the devices used for protection. This research endeavors to design and analyze a blast barrier using three different media types to mitigate the high pressures from an IED or a car bomb. The three media types used in this research are pumice, steel grit, and foam. Six barriers were built to test the three media types and account for the changes from a standard solid concrete barrier to a barrier with a cavity and media. The different media were tested for peak overpressure and impulse reduction. Test panels were subjected to various standoff distances and three charges were tested at each standoff distance. Of the three different media types tested steel grit showed the largest reduction in peak over pressure and impulse. It is the hope of the author that this research will take the first steps in designing a new blast mitigating barrier that is easily built and deployed to better protect buildings and save lives --Abstract, page iii