PASSIVE AIRBLAST ATTENUATION VALVES FOR CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS

THIS PROJECT INVOLVES ANALYSIS AND DESIGN OF SEVERAL CONFIGURATIONS FOR PASSIVE AIRBLAST VALVES TO STRONGLY ATTENUATE BLAST FROM CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS. DESIGN GOALS ARE ATTENUATION OF INCIDENT BLAST OVERPRESSURES BY AT LEAST TWO ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE, WHILE OFFERING NO MORE RESTRICTION TO NORMAL AIRFLOW THAN EXISTING ACTIVE BLAST VALVES. WE PROPOSE TO BASE OUR DESIGNS ON VENTED PANEL CONFIGURATIONS WHICH HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO BE EXCELLENT BLAST ATTENUATORS BY EXTENSIVE PREVIOUS ANALYSIS AND TESTING. WE WOULD ANALYZE, DESIGN, AND PRODUCE FABRICATION DRAWINGS FOR SEVERAL CONFIGURATIONS. CONSTRUCTION AND TESTING OF PASSIVE VALVES WOULD BE DEFERRED TO PHASE II.