Blast Mitigation

Water, having a relatively high mass, has often been used to mitigate the effects of explosions either deliberate or accidental. In sufficient quantity. it can dramatically reduce the damage caused by primary and secondary projectiles and interact with the chemistry of the explosion. reducing heat and the overall effectiveness of the primary explosive material. Depending on the thickness of the water and the size of the explosive. blast overpressures can be significantly reduced and a high percentage, if not all, of the fragmentation captured.

Why Use Water?

• Significantly reduces the velocity of fragments produced by an explosion
• If the water layer is thick enough it will stop all fragments completely
• Reduces blast pressure by as much as 95%
• Combination of fragment containment and blast suppression creates an 'ideal' mitigation system
• Thin layers of water can prevent the 'sympathetic' detonation of neighbouring ammunition stacks
• Low 'down-range' hazard
• Readily available in urban areas where the threats of terrorist attacks are highest
• Cheap
• Captures forensic evidence when used against improvised explosive de vices
• Inhibits the formation of toxic gas cloud
• Can be pre-mixed with decontaminants to facilitate clean up following a 'dirty bomb' attack

Design Concept

The Waterwall system is based around the requirement that each component in the system must be capable of rapid deployment, use simple, inexpensive materials and can accept any type of water. Furthermore, each component must be capable of dramatically reducing blast effects; it can also be easily stored and transported without the need of mechanical equipment if necessary. All Waterwall system components are partially inflated with air first to facilitate handling and positioning before the water is introduced into the system. The flow of water into the component purges the air out through a relief valve. The time needed to fill each component will vary depending of the pressure of the water supply but is typically 10 minutes or less. Following use, if the unit is undamaged. the water can be emptied out and the unit stored for reuse. Shelf life of an unused product is indefinite and for a used component more than three years. All products are designed for temporary use although the period of service can be extended to several months should the need arise. In such cases it may be necessary to make minor modifications to the original.