It was shown that the implementation of barriers which partially block the propagation of a blast-wave can decrease the peak over-pressure and the impulse build-up duration on a target wall. In the present study, the impingement of a blast-wave on a layer of stiff porous medium acting as a protection of the end wall is experimentally investigated. A short driver section is used in a shock tube apparatus in order to create a blast-load-like pressure profile. In the studied scenario, different samples of stiff porous filters made from silicon carbide were placed at various distances from the end-wall of the shock tube. The pressure buildup on the end wall, behind the porous medium sample, was monitored and compared to the loading scenario where no porous sample was present. It was found that the use of porous barriers is mostly beneficial in reducing the peak over-pressure. Counterintuitively, the pressure profile measured at the shock tube’s end-wall, behind the porous medium, was different than the pressure profile measured without a porous medium only for a short duration, see figure 1. In the figure a comparison of the pressure profiles recorded with and without the porous layers’ protection is plotted. In the presentation, explanation will be given together with the knowledge gained from this study.
