Blast in Lebanon

[FLEA]

I've watched 2000 #ers go through roofs in Syria and ive never seen a blast this massive. If looks like the MOAB drop a few years ago. I can't immagine what would cause an explosion that enormous!?!?! 

 

[BashiChuni]

insane

[ThreeHoler]

Reports say 2,750 tons of Ammonium Nitrate.

That is >1000x the blast in OKC.


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[waveshaper]

I just watched the videos of the blast and the bigly reddish/orange cloud; Some commercial/mining explosives (particularly Ammonia Nitrate) produce nitrogen dioxide (NO2) when detonation occurs. This typically results in a reddish or orange cloud when mass amounts of Ammonia Nitrate are detonated (large surface detonation). There's also some commercial chemicals that when in involved in a fire/explosion produce NO2 and the same cloud colors (red/orange).

Edited August 4, 2020 by waveshaper

[Clark Griswold]

Well, that’s one less Hezbollah ammo dump to worry about


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Edited August 11, 2020 by Clark Griswold

[tedybearofdoom]

49 minutes ago, waveshaper said:

I just watched the videos of the blast and the bigly reddish/orange cloud; Some commercial/mining explosives (particularly Ammonia Nitrate) produce nitrogen dioxide (NO2) when detonation occurs. This typically results in a reddish or orange cloud when mass amounts of Ammonia Nitrate are detonated (large surface detonation). There's also some commercial chemicals that when in involved in a fire/explosion produce NO2 and the same cloud colors (red/orange).

NYT has an article saying the Lebanese Government stored ammonia nitrate at the site.

 

Powerful Explosion in Beirut Kills at Least 78, Injures Thousands: Live Updates https://nyti.ms/33qudRi

[TreeA10]

Some reports include fireworks being stored with the ammonia nitrate. Brilliant!

[drewpey]

https://youtu.be/93tV6-0Ugwk

The videos are insane.  I'm shocked the death count is that low so far considering.  

[gearhog]

[waveshaper]

A few quick observation from this before/after photo:

- Two ships are MIA (not sure if these MIA ships were actually pier-side when the explosion occurred?).

- That large grain elevator is one tough structure/we might learn something on how to design our facilities that are located in LVIED hot spots around the world - maybe a new facility design for US Embassies:<) 

- Also, this incident could be a great opportunity to do a massive TBI study - while simultaneously providing medical/other assistance - TBD.

- ?  

[Bergman]

Just read an article claiming the port authority had been asking for YEARS to have the ammonium nitrate either moved or sold.  Hope the guy(s) trying time do the right thing weren’t there when it finally went bad.

 

[FLEA]

Holy hell, I presume that circular inlet of water in the after shot is the crater. 

I would say that maybe at least the biggest saving Grace to this is it happened in an industrial coastal area and not a commercial/residential area. Still sucks some people lost their lives though. I feel like someone is going to hang for this. 

[GrndPndr]

3 hours ago, waveshaper said:

A few quick observation from this before/after photo:

- Two ships are MIA (not sure if these MIA ships were actually pier-side when the explosion occurred?).

- That large grain elevator is one tough structure/we might learn something on how to design our facilities that are located in LVIED hot spots around the world - maybe a new facility design for US Embassies:<) 

- Also, this incident could be a great opportunity to do a massive TBI study - while simultaneously providing medical/other assistance - TBD.

- ?  

I hate to Wednesday morning quarterback, but it does seem like the city was spared some of the energy here - by what amounts to a huge concrete wall (the remaining silo).

[waveshaper]

13 minutes ago, GrndPndr said:

I hate to Wednesday morning quarterback, but it does seem like the city was spared some of the energy here - by what amounts to a huge concrete wall (the remaining silo).

This may be somewhat true for any smaller building located directly behind the grain elevator/concrete wall (within 20 ft or so) but even when that close the protected building will take a healthy pressure punch on it's roof and its side if the building is located near the corner of the protective wall. The best way to mitigate the blast effects during the positive pressure phase of a detonation is "distance". When the positive pressure wave hit the exposed grain elevator it went into the reflective pressure mode (the blast pressure went way up/this is particularly true when the wave hits a solid structure that's at a 90% angle to the approaching shock wave). This increased pressure wave (reflective pressure phase) will either cause the structure to fail and the pressure way will continue to move on down range or the pressure wave will go tightly over/around any still standing facility/obstacle and continue on its way, getting weaker as it goes outward from ground zero.   

[M2]

[Clark Griswold]

Holy shit Batman


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[ThreeHoler]

Note the small boat tossed up onto the east shore in front of where the other warehouse used to be.

[gearhog]

Lebanon was already in an economic freefall. Their currency was becoming valueless.  What a tragedy. 
 

“"The main grain silo, which holds 85 percent of the country’s cereals, was destroyed. Even more, the port will no longer be able to receive goods. Lebanon imports 80 percent of what it consumes, including 90 percent of its wheat...60 percent of imports come through the Beirut."

 

 

[GrndPndr]

4 minutes ago, torqued said:

Lebanon was already in an economic freefall. Their currency was becoming valueless.  What a tragedy. 
 

“"The main grain silo, which holds 85 percent of the country’s cereals, was destroyed. Even more, the port will no longer be able to receive goods. Lebanon imports 80 percent of what it consumes, including 90 percent of its wheat...60 percent of imports come through the Beirut."

 

 

I had such high hopes for Lebanon, it is indeed a tragedy.

In a semi-related matter - the neck down look in that video was fantastic!

 

[FLEA]

8 hours ago, waveshaper said:

A few quick observation from this before/after photo:

- Two ships are MIA (not sure if these MIA ships were actually pier-side when the explosion occurred?).

- That large grain elevator is one tough structure/we might learn something on how to design our facilities that are located in LVIED hot spots around the world - maybe a new facility design for US Embassies:<) 

- Also, this incident could be a great opportunity to do a massive TBI study - while simultaneously providing medical/other assistance - TBD.

- ?  

If you look at 3-Holer's picture I think the smaller ship got lifted onto the shoreline on the right side of the image. 

[drewpey]

 

[waveshaper]

Here's what caused this massive explosion (about 2,500 heavy duty sacks full of AN):

[billy pilgrim]

Watching these videos you can see the shockwave traveling outward.  I would think that it would travel at the Mach.  Is this true?  Can a shockwave travel faster than the speed of sound if there is enough energy?  Or do they travel faster than the speed of sound?  What happens (if anything) when it slows to the Mach and below?

[Breckey]

Watching these videos you can see the shockwave traveling outward.  I would think that it would travel at the Mach.  Is this true?  Can a shockwave travel faster than the speed of sound if there is enough energy?  Or do they travel faster than the speed of sound?  What happens (if anything) when it slows to the Mach and below?

If it's below Mach it's not a shockwave anymore, it's just thunder.

[waveshaper]

On ‎8‎/‎14‎/‎2020 at 10:27 AM, billy pilgrim said:

Watching these videos you can see the shockwave traveling outward.  I would think that it would travel at the Mach.  Is this true?  Can a shockwave travel faster than the speed of sound if there is enough energy?  Or do they travel faster than the speed of sound?  What happens (if anything) when it slows to the Mach and below?

The initial speed of shock waves (I believe shock waves slow down over time/distance traveled) generated by explosives is complicated and somewhat based on the detonation velocity of the particular explosive involved (way to complicated for my old ass to remember/figure out).

Here's a couple examples (relative effectiveness is based on a TNT equivalent = 1.0): 

- Ammonia Nitrate (fert grade), detonation velocity  2,700 m/s, relative effectiveness .42;

- ANFO (explosive grade), detonation velocity 5,270 m/s, relative effectiveness .74;

- TNT, detonation velocity 6,900 m/s, relative effectiveness 1.0;

- C-4, detonation velocity 8,040 m/s, relative effectiveness 1.37;  

Some basics; If you're a good distance away from a large detonation but still within the hazard zone/footprint - typically the first thing to hit your location will be earth shock, followed shortly by the shock wave/boom - plus some frag. If you're really close to ground zero, everything happens so fast you won't remember what hit you first.  

Edited August 17, 2020 by waveshaper