Fundamental review on collision of blast waves

Abstract

The introduction and pinnacle of colliding blast waves research commenced in the 1950s following World War II. Since then, sporadic studies have appeared throughout the literature up until the early 1990s, beyond which a significant contributory gap on the topic ensued. With the interminable proactivity of modern civil and aerospace defense research in the past several decades, investigations on the phenomena of blast wave collisions have fallen behind in comparison. Recent events and applications of offensive and defensive operations have slowly begun to rekindle studies on colliding blast waves in the last few years. However, there remains limitations on the extent of analyses which have yet to be adequately addressed. This review attempts to critically compile and analyze all existing research on blast wave collisions to identify pertinent shortcomings of the present state-of-the-art. In addition, related investigations of colliding shock waves and the collision of shock waves and blast waves are also provided to further elaborate on their distinctions to colliding blast waves. Prior to such discussions, the fundamentals of blast wave behaviors in terms of their characteristics, formation, and propagation are presented to pave a background to subsequent advanced topics. Finally, unique classifications of direct and indirect applications of blast wave collisions are presented with modern perspectives. As a result, a classical problem is reawakened toward understanding and addressing highly complex and dynamic shock wave systems in defense applications.