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Explosives and Explosive Effects

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CBRNE: Challenges in the 21st Century

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Abstract

Explosions are generally reported in the media with a mix of tragic content and apocalyptic detail. In many mass casualty incidents, explosive devices are often present in a primary or secondary role. The term ‘gas explosion’ generally provokes thoughts of a gas cooker or gas cylinder exploding with an image of a damaged building and reports of a limited number of deaths and injuries. Explosions from natural phenomena are the rarest, however cyclones and storms can produce explosion-like effects. It is the aim of this chapter to cover the key points and function of an explosive, the immediate effects on people and on urban structures. There is an extensive and well-developed literature in each of these areas which can be accessed via the suggested reading and the references.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Blackett Laboratory, Institute of Shock Physics, Imperial College, London, SW7 2AZ, UK

    W. G. Proud

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  1. W. G. Proud
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Correspondence to W. G. Proud .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Security Science and Technology, Imperial College London, London, UK

    Peter D.E. Biggins

  2. Institute of Security Science and Technology, Imperial College London, London, UK

    Deeph Chana

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Proud, W.G. (2022). Explosives and Explosive Effects. In: Biggins, P.D., Chana, D. (eds) CBRNE: Challenges in the 21st Century. Advanced Sciences and Technologies for Security Applications. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-17374-5_5

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