Comparison of Kingery-Bulmash Airblast Predictions with Experimental Data for TNT Surface Bursts

Experimental investigations were conducted to measure airblast parameters from TNT surface bursts at scaled distances of 0.94 to 6.79 m/kg1/3. Pressure-time histories of incident airblast waves were recorded using PCB sensors and processed to determine peak overpressure, impulse, and positive phase duration. These parameters were compared with Kingery-Bulmash(K-B) blast curves. Experimental peak overpressures were approximately 1.17 times higher than K-B predictions, while impulses showed excellent agreement(0.96 times K-B values). The elevated peak overpressures are likely due to improved precision in modern pressure sensors and digital data acquisition systems. These findings suggest that K-B blast parameters, limited by the technology of their time, require updating with data from contemporary instrumentation to enhance the accuracy of blast analysis and protective design applications.