Thermobaric Explosives: Rationale, Mechanisms and Practical Aspects

‘Thermobaric (TBX) or “volumetric” explosives are used for niche weapon applications where the main injury or damage mechanism is intended to be by blast effects rather than fragmentation. As the name thermobaric implies, these explosives produce pressure by releasing large amounts of thermal energy. TBX explosives contain an over-abundance of fuel and therefore require oxygen from the surrounding air to fully react and release their energy. There are generally two classes of designs for TBX applications, which have different levels of complexity and performance.’ This technical paper, first published in 2017, is available in the Member’s login section.