Shock Wave Interaction with a Cylindrical Structure

An increased understanding of the shock wave interaction with a cylindrical structure is the foundation for developing a method to explosively seal a cylindrical structure similar to the one damaged during the Deepwater Horizon accident in the Gulf of Mexico. Explosively induced collapsing of cylinders can be simplified into two primary categories: the explosive loading of the cylinder (1) and the cylinder response (2). The research presented in this paper describes the explosive loading of a cylindrical structure and presents the results of a shock wave's interaction on the cylindrical surface. The shock wave is generated by the detonation of single 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6 lb C-4 charges and interacts with a 6.6-inch diameter cylindrical structure, positioned 52-inches from the center of the charge. These three charges generated a peak overpressures of approximately 15, 25, and 40 psi, respectively. This research examines the peak pressure and total impulse from each charge acting on the cylindrical structure as well as the formation of vortices on its "backside" of the cylinder. The results are compared to the previous work, and a predictive equation for the peak pressure at an angular position on the cylinder surface is presented.