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By E. Contestabile, B. von Rosen

Recently, the Canadian Explosives Research Laboratory (CERL) completed its investigation of a truck accident, which involved 18,000 kg of commercial explosives, 13,000 kg of which was ANFO. Over the three years of the investigation unconfined burns of piles of ANFO were performed. In its final phase of the investigation, two burn trials were performed in an attempt to recreate the accident and the ensuing fire, to identify probable mechanisms that led from burning to detonation. Two full-scale tests were performed using complete tractor-trailers. In each test, the trucks were placed in a jack-knifed position with the majority of the explosives located on the ground in front of the trailer. The explosives were placed in a manner to provide maximum confinement and to maximize the possibility of explosion/detonation while remaining as faithful as possible to the perceived accident geometry. The tests were instrumented using thermocouples and video cameras and observations were made on the burning characteristics of the explosives, tractor-trailer and tractor-trailer components. In each test the explosives burned calmly for approximately 80 minutes. There was no evidence of explosion or of unstable burning. The heat caused several truck components to rupture violently. These included the tires, some engine components, the spring brake chambers and possibly the fuel tanks. Of these, the most violent were the truck tires. Although no quantitative data was gathered on rupture violence or fragment velocity, it is speculated that several truck components might produce fragments with sufficient energy to initiate heat-sensitised explosives under favourable circumstances.

Jan 1, 2004

By Johan Finsteen Gjodvad, Mathias Jern

The paper is part of the ongoing work of the Environmental committee of EFEE. To assist the European experts working with explosives one of the aims is to improve the common knowledge of similarities and differences between national legislation, standards or guidelines on vibration monitoring and other environmental monitoring during blasting in Europe and abroad.

Feb 1, 2020