Impulsive loading events and similarity scaling

Geometrically similar scaling is applied to various blast loading experiments and the results are reported. The geometry of the experiment was scaled by a single scale factor. The imparted impulse (captured by the horizontal motion of a pendulum), mid-point deflections of thin plates and an estimate of the strain rates are compared relative to the observed and geometrical scale factors. The analysis confirms the similarity of the imparted impulse obtained and indicates the importance of material properties such as yield strength and strain rate sensitivity on the similarity of the mid-point deflections.