Parameter Study of Underground Ammunition Storage Magazines: Results of Explosion Tests in Small-Scale Models

Abstract : The U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station (WES) has conducted research on airblast propagation inside underground ammunition storage facilities. The purpose of the research was to develop magazine design enhancements which would minimize the Airblast Inhabited Building Distance (IBD) should an accidental internal detonation occur. This effort was a part of the Joint U.S./Korea R&D Study for New Underground Ammunition Storage Technologies. A series of 1:20-scale experiments were conducted at WES to establish a baseline data base against which to evaluate the effects of blast reduction designs on the IBD. Parameters evaluated during the study included tunnel length, tunnel/chamber diameter ratio, and chamber loading density (Table l). The parameter study was performed with a simple, "shot gun" design of an underground magazine (storage chamber and access tunnel coaxially aligned).