Physical modeling of blasts and fires in tunnels

The specter of terrorist bombings is a haunting reality nowadays and needs urgent address in all of its aspects, including technical ones. Blast waves resulting from high explosive bursts in air cause death, injury and damage. The crucial parameters are high overpressure from the direct blast and from reflections that can cause excessive mechanical loading, and high temperatures that can cause a fire (Golub et al. 2004). These effects are most dangerous in tunnels where the critical energy of gas detonation ignition by factor 10 less than one in open air.