Explosives Engineering [Hardcover]

Paul Cooper (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 28, 1996 | ISBN-10: 0471186368 | ISBN-13: 978-0471186366 | Edition: 1

This graduate text, and Cooper's companion introductory text ('Introduction to the Technology of Explosives'), serve the same markets as the successful explosives reference by Meyer, now in its 4th edition. VCH also published the International Journal of Propellants, Explosives, and Pyrotechnics. The resulting package would give VCH the major presence in the field.
This text presents the basic technologies used in the engineering of explosives and explosive systems, i.e., chemistry, burning, detonation, shock waves, initiation theories, scaling. The book is written for upper-division undergraduate or graduate-level scientists and engineers, and assumes a good grasp of basic physics, chemistry, mechanics and mathematic through calculus. It is based on lecture notes used for graduate courses at the Dept. of Energy Laboratories, and could serve as a core text for a course at schools of mining or military engineering. The intent of the book is to provide the engineer or scientist in the field with an understanding of the phenomena involved and the engineering tools needed to solve/ design/ analyze a broad range of real problems.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

This text presents the basic technologies used in the engineering of explosives and explosion systems. The six sections cover the chemistry of explosives, energetics of explosives, shock waves, detonation, and initiation and intiators. Concise descriptions of the physical processes and underlying theory are expressed in terms. Special features include solved problems in each technical area, extensive data on explosive materials and their properties and behavior, and many useful reference lists and bibliographies.

From the Back Cover

Explosives Engineering by Paul W. Cooper presents the basic technologies used in the engineering of explosives and explosion systems. The book’s six sections cover the chemistry of explosives, energetics of explosives, shock waves, detonation, and initiation and initiators. An understanding of basic physics, chemistry, mechanics, and mathematics through calculus is assumed. Concise descriptions of the physical processes and underlying theory are expressed in terms as useful for the designer or analyst as for the engineer. Special features include solved problems in each technical area, extensive data on explosive materials and their properties and behavior, and many useful reference lists and bibliographies. This book will help engineers, scientists, and students acquire the engineering tools needed to understand, analyze, and solve a broad range of explosion problems and design applications. It also will interest crime and accident scene investigators, and anyone concerned with the regulatory and environmental issues involved in the transportation, storage, and commerce of explosive materials.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 480 pages
• Publisher: Wiley-VCH; 1 edition (November 28, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471186368
• ISBN-13: 978-0471186366
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #698,027 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the most exact and concise reference available today, January 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Explosives Engineering (Hardcover)

Paul Cooper has done an outstanding job of detailing the diverse world of explosives engineering. Included is sufficient detail to get a researcher new to a topic started and enough background to help an 'old timer' teach. The last five chapters on Engineering Applications is an unequalled summary of the use and analysis of the practice of explosives engineering. I use this book as my 'carry along' reference for both R&D testing and systems analysis of explosive devices.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For the neophytegrowing into an expert, November 9, 2006

By 

Paul M. Schumacher (Bohemia, New York United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Explosives Engineering (Hardcover)

If you are a novice to the field of explosives engineering, this text should be read after reading Paul Cooper's "Introduction to Explosives Technology." It is a cure to the 'I want more' feeling which that text produces. As in that text, it leaves one feeling 'why did I have so much trouble understanding this subject with other texts?'

The answer to that is Paul Cooper's knowledge of the subject, and ability to put that knowledge into words. One does not need a Ph.D. nor be a genius to understand this text. Having taught myself this subject, I wish Paul Cooper had written this work 40 years ago. It is designed to bring the novice up to the mid levels of knowledge in this field.

I have found myself putting the book down to write programs to model what I had just read. This text has brought me from believing I know explosive engineering, to having the confidence of actually knowing the subject.

"Explosives Engineering" is considerably more understandable than such biblical treatments such as LA-2000 or AMCP 706-180. This text prepares one for such texts at such a rarified level.

This text should be in the library of every explosive engineer. If I had to select three texts on the subject of explosives behavior, this would definitely be one of them. His "Intoduction to Explosives Technology" would be in the top 10 for preparing the groundwork into this field.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not the best, but certainly not poorly written, September 1, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Explosives Engineering (Hardcover)

Cooper moves from one subject to another in a manner that may annoy some. However, this is NOT a "teeny-bomber" book. If you have an interest in Thermochemistry and are familiar with some of the European methods of modeling, you may enjoy some of the more unique areas Cooper explores. The author leads you to this point by utilizing basic Thermodynamic concepts and this is why some readers may get bored. Although he does provide background if you actually read the text and don't skip about.

On the other hand; his models of Estimating Properties of Explosives (& Detonation Properties)is professional and a quick read. If you are familiar with the European presentations of the Rankine-Hugoniot Jump Equations this book will not appear Greek to you (pardon the pun). On a level most basic to the novice, Cooper's piece on Initiation & Initiators (detonators, etc) is well done, and easy for the novice to grasp. The book moves more toward explosive use in indusry and models, less so in terms of organic chemistry but there is enough nomenclature, basic structural formulas, history, and detonation theory to keep you reading as well as leading you forward to areas wherein you may not have a background. Undergraduate level stuff but quite useful for both the classroom as well as to explain world standards to those with a more focused background in explosive utility in a simple military context. This book attempts to be wide reaching and is useful for such a huge undertaking.