What to look for in the aftermath of an explosion? A review of blast scene damage observables

A review of existing literature dealing with the behavior of often-used building materials subject to blast loading is presented. Our focus is on the types of structural damage that might be observed at a blast scene, and in particular how this evidence can be used to infer characteristics of the blast (e.g., size and position of the charge). We consider two simple questions: what does damage look like in the wake of a blast for different structural materials (i.e., “what damage is seen?”) and what must the blast pressure have been to cause this damage (i.e., “what does the damage mean?”). This review looks at reinforced concrete, masonry, steel, glass, and timber. We propose the following principle for interpreting observed damage at a blast scene: if damage is present, a limit state was exceeded. The results from this review will be of great interest to post-blast investigators that seek to understand the size and position of a blast.