Explosive Effects On Structures (EES) module – a day with Alford Technologies
04/05/2021

On the 9th of March 2021 a group of us from the Explosive Effects on Structures module embarked on a trip to Alford Technologies in Wells. Alford Technologies specialises in developing explosive tools to support Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Breaching/Explosive Method of Entry and Explosive Engineering communities – so a great place to partake in our first face to face practical of the year. So far that week we had learnt about how blast effects different structures and materials, and it was now time to see some of that theory in action.
When we had arrived and received the safety briefings, including the inevitable COVID precautions, it was time to get hands on with the explosives to fill different shaped charges. Throughout this session we also got to learn about the different types of shape charges and what they might be used for in both commercial and military environments. It was definitely great to finally be able to get the chance to see everything we had learnt about in a practical environment.
Once we had finished preparing the charges, we headed down into the quarry to see them in action. We had a number of charges and an array of materials to use them on, including wooden posts, concrete blocks, steel bars and steel slabs, each of which we would use around 250g of explosive on. There were also big screens available in the bunker, so we were all able to watch the explosions happen in real time. Afterwards we then moved back outside to see the results. It was interesting to see how the placement, or the shape of the charge, effected the damage that was caused to the material, and then how this could lead to specific tasks being undertaken. For example, Alfords had engineered a special device which was designed specifically to cleanly cut a steel bar by focusing the energy of blast on to a specific point around outside of the metal. We had also got the opportunity to see effects such as spalling first-hand on the concrete slab. Finally, there was the opportunity to have a look at all the products Alfords had designed and learn about their function.

We also had the added bonus of having two of our lecturers, Mike and Rachael, with us on the trip. They both brought a wealth of knowledge and helped us with understanding the effects the blast waves were having on the materials. They also kept us thinking on our feet by getting us to predict the effect the charge would have on the material in question.
Overall, this trip was an amazing experience, and definitely nothing any of us had had the chance to do before. Not only was it great to experience our first practical session but seeing all my course mates and lecturers face to face for the first time was great. As a first foray into the explosive’s world, this was definitely a great way to do it and it certainly helped us visualise and understand a lot of what we had learnt in the classroom.
Categories & Tags:
Leave a comment on this post:
You might also like…
Trace Evidence – How the smallest clues can make the largest difference at a crime scene.
When arriving at a crime scene, there are often signs or physical evidence such as hairs, fibres or shards of material that are often integral to solving how a crime was committed or providing critical ...
Safety and Human Factors in Aviation MSc student Joao Paulo talks about his passion for aircraft safety
Joao Paulo Costa Antunes De MacEdo is studying for an MSc in Safety and Human Factors in Aviation. Here, he talks about what led him to become interested in studying aircraft safety, how he is ...
Resource trial: Access government policy documents with Overton
Library Services has set up trial access to Overton until 16 April. Overton contains over 7 million policy documents and guidelines from over 31,000 organisations across 180+ countries. The database includes grey literature from leading ...
Life as a MSc Automotive Engineering Student at Cranfield University
I chose Cranfield University, because of its immense industrial connections and the depth of the modules. Before accepting the offer, I had a chat with a few alumni about their life here, both academically ...
My Experience as a C4D Scholar
How the C4D Scholarship made it possible for me to study MDes Design Thinking at one of the most prestigious universities in the world; Cranfield! I first found my interest in Design while in ...
Marketing sustainability claims: How to avoid greenwashing
As businesses strive to market themselves to best appeal to today’s sustainability-conscious consumers, it is perhaps inevitable that claims will be made that don’t necessarily give the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the ...