HARDCOVER WITH FULL COLOR PICTURES - Contents - This new book, with over 180 illustrations and over 50 tables of data, is designed for firework display firers, designers and organisers of outdoor events. From the enthusiastic amateur firer who wants to get the most from the legally available fireworks, all the way up to the seasoned professional, this book will benefit those needing more information about the ways professionals plan and use fireworks to the greatest effect. - Dr. Smith's book covers the areas of: - Ancient and modern history of firework displays - Types of fireworks - Firework effects - Types of displays most commonly used today - Newly created diagrams of firework types and effects, from both an aesthetic and safety point of view.- Specific sections on: - Display safety - Risk assessment - Fallout issues - Planning and rigging of the display site - Research on mortar rack safety - Display design - Choosing the appropriate fireworks - Colour theory - Electric firing - Synchronisation of fireworks to music - Design philosophies - Legal issues - International standards - Environmental effects of fireworks - Case studies of displays, large and small - Future developments in fireworks and displays - What happens when things do not go to plan - Dr. Tom Smith, a well-known and influential figure with over 20 years experience in the firework industry, has created an essential guide to the exciting world of fireworks and firework displays. He has been a consultant to the Athens Olympics, the Melbourne Commonwealth Games, the London Millennium and New Year's Eve displays.- Other contributors include: - Darryl Fleming - Kimbolton Fireworks - Chris Pearce and Andy Wiggins - Jubilee Fireworks - Rodney Clarke - FireOne - Martin Smith - Coordinator of the largest November 5th celebrations in the UK - Jim Donald - London New Year's Eve displays - Andrew Walsh London New Year's Eve displays November 5th celebrations in the UK - Murray Torrible - Precision Broking, insuring the world's largest display companies

When Chinese alchemists fashioned the first manmade explosion sometime during the tenth century, no one could have foreseen its full revolutionary potential. Invented to frighten evil spirits rather than fuel guns or bombs,neither of which had been thought of yet,their simple mixture of saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal went on to make the modern world possible. As word of its explosive properties spread from Asia to Europe, from pyrotechnics to battleships, it paved the way for Western exploration, hastened the end of feudalism and the rise of the nation state, and greased the wheels of the Industrial Revolution.With dramatic immediacy, novelist and journalist Jack Kelly conveys both the distant time in which the devil's distillate" rose to conquer the world, and brings to rousing life the eclectic cast of characters who played a role in its epic story, including Michelangelo, Edward III, Vasco da Gama, Cortes, Guy Fawkes, Alfred Nobel, and E. I. DuPont. A must-read for history fans and military buffs alike, Gunpowder brings together a rich terrain of cultures and technological innovations with authoritative research and swashbuckling style.

How gunpowder technology exploded heroes, heroics, and war stories from 1400 to 1700, and how German writers tried to glue them back together Guns have been linked with masculinity since their earliest days on European battlefields, and surviving treatises on gunpowder from the early fifteenth century describe in detail the kinds of strong, sober, and God-fearing men who could be trusted to use this new weapon. As the destructive capacity and military tactical value of gunpowder became more evident to European peoples over time, writers--especially German ones--expressed increasing anxiety aboutthe disruptive potential that gunpowder weapons held for warrior masculinity, martial ethics, and the aesthetic traditions of war stories. Focused on early modern German texts of all kinds, including military manuals,poems, theological treatises, novels, and broadsheets, Gunpowder, Masculinity, and Warfare in German Texts, 1400-1700 traces the cultural and literary history of gunpowder in German-speaking lands from the Hussite Wars into the literary aftermath of the Thirty Years War. Taking a long view of this textual and material history, author Patrick Brugh reveals that early conversations about firearms resonate with those today, including debates on such topics as questions of masculine ethos and gun violence, the rights to self-defense and to bear arms, and the way new technologies change how we tell stories. PATRICK BRUGH is an affiliate assistant professor of Genderand Sexuality Studies at Loyola University Maryland and an administrator at Johns Hopkins University.

All the chapters from the previous edition have been revised and enlarged to include in most cases new fireworks formats. Four new chapters have been added to this third edition: in a new chapter, Chemistry of Fireworks Compositions, Dr Takeo Shimizu examines the use of materials and binders in the manufacturing process and how to control reactions. The chapter on Fireworks Displays, examines the evolution of displays and modern uses throughout the world. The new chapter on Gunpowder deals with its uses since ancient times to date. The legislative framework for fireworks control in Great Britain, United States, Canada and the European Union are discussed in the new Legislation chapter. In addition, this third edition includes a glossary with more than three hundred fireworks terms and numerous photographs, some from the historical archives of the Brocks Fireworks.

This book collects lectures of an international NATO-Russian Advanced Research Workshop on Detection and Disposal of Improvised Explosives (IE) used by terrorists. The disposal of IE is especially dangerous, because they are often much more unstable and mechanically more sensitive than commercial or military explosives. This text covers detection of explosives by different analytical methods and the different shape and compositions of the explosive charge, and offers up-to-date advice on handling and disposal.

Detection and quantification of trace chemicals is a major thrust of analytical chemistry. In recent years much effort has been spent developing detection systems for priority pollutants. Less mature are the detections of substances of interest to law enforcement and security personnel: in particular explosives. This volume will discuss the detection of these, not only setting out the theoretical fundamentals, but also emphasizing the remarkable developments in the last decade. Terrorist events airplanes blown out of the sky (PanAm 103 over Lockerbie) and attacks on U.S. and European cities (Trade Center in New York and the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, railways in London and Madrid)--emphasize the danger of concealed explosives. However, since most explosives release little vapor, it was not possible to detect them by technology used on most organic substances. After PanAm 103 was downed over Scotland, the U.S. Congress requested automatic explosive detection equipment be placed in airports. This volume outlines the history of explosive detection research, the developments along the way, present day technologies, and what we think the future holds.

- Written by experts in the field who set out both the scientific issues and the practical context with authority
- Discusses and describes the threat
- Describes the theoretical background and practical applications of both trace and bulk explosives detection"

The sensitivity of an explosive is not a well defined property of the material but rather a complex pattern of behavior. Unlike the response to strong, planar shocks which is for the most part predictable and reproducible, explosives' response to multidimensional and weaker stimuli is much more complicated.

The present volume is the first compendium to assemble in a single text our present knowledge about the vast range of non-shock ignition mechanisms and responses, where initiation is not prompt, and involves a series of steps that may or may not lead to a steady detonation.

The 11 extensive chapters in this volume are: Context and Complexity of Non-Shock Initiation (B. W. Asay), Transport Phenomena for Non-Shock Initiation Processes (L. Perry), The Chemical Kinetics of Solid Thermal Explosions (B. F. Henson), Classical Theory of Thermal Criticality (L. G. Hill), Deflagration Phenomena in Energetic Materials (S. I. Jackson), Mechanical and Thermal Damage (G. R. Parker and P. J. Rae), Cook-off (B. W. Asay), The Deflagration-to-Detonation Transition (J. M. McAfee), Friction (P. M. Dickson), Impact and Shear Ignition by Non-Shock Mechanisms (J. E. Kennedy), Spark and Laser Ignition (J. E. Kennedy).

Each chapter is self-contained and can be read independently of the others, though, they are thematically interrelated. They offer a timely reference, for postgraduate students as well as professional scientists and engineers, by laying out the foundations and discussing the latest developments including yet unresolved challenging problems.

Contents -

1. The History of Fireworks -

2. Firework Material -

3. General Pyrotechnic Principles -

4. Mixing and Charging -

5. Containers -

6. Stars -

7. Colored Fires, Bengals, Lances, Portfires, Torches -

8. Roman Candles, Comets, Mines -

9. Noisemakers -

10. Rockets -

11. Drivers, Saxons, Tourbillions -

12. Shells -

13. Gerbs, Foundations, Rains, Squibs, Cones -

14. Pinwheels and Crackers -

15. Indoor Fireworks -

16. Fuses, Quickmatch -

17. Smoke -

18. Exhibition Fireworks -

19. The Manufacturing Processes for Firework Compositions -

Reference -

Index -

This is the first comprehensive overview of this topic. It serves as a single source for information about the properties, preparation, and uses of all relevant primary explosives. The first chapter provides background such as the basics of initiation and differences between requirements on primary explosives used in detonators and igniters. The authors then clarify the influence of physical characteristics on explosive properties, focusing on those properties required for primary explosives. Furthermore, the issue of sensitivity is discussed. All the chapters on particular groups of primary explosives are structured in the same way, including introduction, physical and chemical properties, explosive properties, preparation and documented use. The authors thoroughly verified all data and information. A unique feature of this book are original microscopic images of some explosives.

Blasting practices in mines have undergone many changes in the recent past and continue to be honed and reconfigured to meet the demands of today's mining needs. This volume compiles papers of the workshop Blasting in Mines - New Trends, hosted by the Fragblast 10 Symposium . The 17 papers provide a mix which highlight the evolving trends in blasting in mines. These range from special techniques of cast blasting, applications of seed wave modelling for improved fragmentation, to design of mass blasts and controlled blasting for stability of pit-walls. Blasting in Mines - New Trends will be of particular interest to mining and blasting engineers.

Fragmentation characteristics influence mucking productivity, crusher throughput and energy consumption, plant efficiency, yield and recovery, or the price itself of the end product in the case of industrial minerals and aggregates. Reliable, quantitative measurements of fragment sizes are instrumental in controlling and optimizing the blasting results. Measurement and Analysis of Blast Fragmentation presents the latest developments in rock fragmentation measurement techniques and analysis. It includes image analysis and machine vision techniques, either photographic or 3D such as stereo-photogrammetry and laser triangulation; case studies of fragmentation measurements in a variety of situations and used in different optimization and control tasks; fragmentation analysis and new suitable functional descriptions of size distributions, and model-scale fragmentation tests with weighed size distribution data. The contributions in this book were presented at the workshop Measurement and Analysis of Blast Fragmentation, which was hosted by Fragblast 10 (New Delhi, India, November 2012), provide a snapshot of the activity in rock fragmentation measurements and analysis around the world, and are a must-have reference for engineers and researchers working in rock blasting.

There is considerable scope for improving the outcome of any blasting operation through basic understanding and application of the principles of blasting science and technology. The main objective of Performance of Explosives and New Developments is to sensitize the practitioner to critically examine the various empirical approaches in blasting which may have been in use for a long time, but lack any sound material basis. On the other hand, where the empirical approaches have proven of value, significant additional improvement can be achieved through better understanding of the underlying process. None of the components involved in a blasting operation should be treated in isolation, as they are all interlinked. Fragmentation of rock by blasting represents the first stage in the size reduction process which is essential to extraction of valuable minerals and metals. Therefore, understanding the performance of the explosive and initiators under actual field conditions, and critical assessment of the blast results afterwards are central to effective blast design, improved productivity, and novel applications. Performance of Explosives and New Developments presents the state of the art on explosive energy, its utilization in blasting, and some new developments and innovative applications, and is aimed at academics and practitioners in the field.

Rock Fragmentation by Blasting contains the papers presented at the 10th International Symposium on Rock Fragmentation by Blasting (New Delhi, India, 26-29 November 2012), and represents the most advanced forum on blasting science and technology. The contributions cover all major recent advancements in blasting and fragmentation, from realistic treatment of the target rock; modelling, measurement and prediction of blast results; control of blast-induced damage, to special blast designs applicable to civil construction and demolition projects. The latest developments on environmental issues associated with blasting operations such as vibrations, flyrock, and dust are also included. Rock Fragmentation by Blasting provides the state-of-the-art in explosives and blasting engineering, and will be a valuable source of information for researchers and practitioners involved in these areas.

This book treats the experimental methods used to determine the physical properties of explosives and explosions - physical principles, operating procedures and evaluations of results. Aimed at practicing engineers as well as experimental physicists who investigate the effects of explosions, this book will be of interest to research laboratories, manufacturers of explosives, military training establishments, technical laboratories and so forth.

A collection of technical papers from contributors around the world, this volume looks at all aspects of environmental engineering with explosives. Whilst some papers focus on the legal issues and EU directives concerning safety and best practice, others consider practical health and safety issues surrounding this subject. Also covers practical applications, recent technological advances and improvements in method, equipment and processes, useful for the researcher or field professional alike.

Siting of permanent and temporary buildings in process areas requires careful consideration of potential effects of explosions and fires arising from accidental release of flammable materials. This book, which updates the 1996 edition, provides a single-source reference that explains the American Petroleum Institute (API) permanent (752) and temporary (753) building recommended practices and details how to implement them. New coverage on toxicity and updated standards are also highlighted. Practical and easy-to-use, this reliable guide is a must-have for implementing safe building practices.

Advances in Extraterrestrial Drilling: Ground, Ice, and Underwater includes the latest advances that have been made in recent years in developing drilling and excavation mechanisms for extraterrestrial bodies. The chapters cover drill types, drilling techniques and their advantages and associated issues, rock coring including acquisition, damage control, caching and transport, and data interpretation, as well as unconsolidated soil drilling and borehole stability. This book includes a description of the basic science of the drilling process, associated processes of breaking and penetrating various media, the required hardware, and the process of excavation and analysis of the sampled media. Covers the most recent advances in extraterrestrial drilling. Discusses drilling in the broadest range of media including ground, ice, underwater, and planetary surfaces from shallow to very deep. Provides a comprehensive description of key drilling techniques and the efforts to develop unified approach to assessing the required tools for given drilling requirements. Discusses how environment affects drilling and approaches to addressing the effects and current challenges of drilling and excavation on other planets. Examines novel drilling and excavation approaches. Dr. Yoseph Bar-Cohen is the Supervisor of the Electroactive Technologies Group (http://ndeaa.jpl.nasa.gov/) and a Senior Research Scientist at the Jet Propulsion Lab/Caltech, Pasadena, CA. His research is focused on electro-mechanics including planetary sample handling mechanisms, novel actuators that are driven by materials such as piezoelectric and EAP (also known as artificial muscles), and biomimetics. Dr. Kris Zacny is a Senior Scientist and Vice President of Exploration Systems at Honeybee Robotics, Altadena, CA. His expertise includes space mining, sample handling, soil and rock mechanics, extraterrestrial drilling, and In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU).

This book offers a comprehensive account of energetic materials, including their synthesis, computational modeling, applications, associated degradation mechanisms, environmental consequences and fate and transport. This multi-author contributed volume describes how armed forces around the world are moving their attention from legacy explosive compounds, which are heat and shock sensitive (thus posing greater challenges in terms of handling and storage), to the insensitive munitions compounds/formulations such as insensitive munitions explosive (IMX) and the Picatinny Arsenal Explosive (PAX) series of compounds. The description of energetic materials focuses on explosives, pyrotechnic compositions, and propellants. The contributors go on to explain how modern generation energetic compounds must be insensitive to shock and heat but at the same time yield more energy upon explosion. Nanoinspired and/or co-crystallized energetic materials offer another route to generate next-generation energetic materials, and this authoritative book bridges a large gap in the literature by providing a comprehensive analysis of these compounds. Additionally, it includes a valuable overview of energetic materials, a detailed discussion of recent advances on future energetic compounds, nanotechnology in energetic materials, environmental contamination and toxicity, assessment of munitions lethality, the application quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) in design of energetics and the fate and transport of munition compounds in the environment.

The fast detection of explosives from the vapor phase would be one way to enhance the protection of society against terrorist attacks. Up to now the problem of detection of explosives, especially the location of explosives whether at large areas e. g. station halls, theaters or hidden in cars, aircraft cargo, baggage or explosives hidden in crowds e. g. suicide bombers or bombs in bags has not been solved. Smelling of explosives like dogs do seems to be a valuable tool for a security chain. In general different strategies can be adopt to the basic problem of explosive detection: * bulk detection * vapor detection Normally meetings cover both aspects and applications of the detection. Even though both methods might fulfill special aspects of a general security chain the underlying scientific questions differ strongly. Because of that the discussions of the scientists and practitioners from the different main directions are sometimes only less specific. Therefore the NATO Advisory Panel in Security-Related Civil Science and Technology proposed a small series of NATO ARW's which focuses on the different scientific aspects of explosives detection methods. This book is based on material presented at the first NATO ARW of this series in Moscow which covered the topic: Vapor and trace detection of explosives. The second ARW was held in St. Petersburg and treated the topic Bulk detection methods. The third workshop was held in Warwick and focused on electronic noses which cover a somewhat different aspect of vapor detection.

Contents -
1. The History of Fireworks 1 -
2. Firework Materials 25 -
3. General Pyrotechnic Principles 53 -
4. Mixing and Charging 63 -
5. Containers 75 -
6. Stars 85 -
7. Colored Fires, Bengals, Lances, Portfires, Torches 97
8. Roman Candles, Comets, Mines 109 -
9. Noisemakers 119 -
10. Rockets 125 -
11. Drivers, Saxons, Tourbillions 135 -
12. Shells 143 -
13. Gerbs, Fountains, Rains, Squibs, Cones 159 -
14. Pinwheels and Crackers 167 -
15. Indoor Fireworks 173 -
16. Fuses, Quickmatch 181 -
17. Smoke 187 -
18. Exhibition Fireworks 193 -
19. The Manufacturing Processes of Firework Composition 205 -
References 269 -
Index 271 -

This thoroughly revised and updated fourth edition of Fireworks: Principles and Practice, is the one essential reference regarded as the "the Bible of Fireworks".

This book covers military pyrotechnics characteristics, sensitivity, combustion, performance parameters, ingredients and their behaviour, various pyrotechnic compositions and their manufacturing methods, filling, pressing and assembly of ammunition and so forth. Divided into two broader sections, namely military pyrotechnic compositions and military pyrotechnic ammunitions and devices, it provides full spectrum of military pyrotechnics and a guide for all personnel involved with management of military pyrotechnic ammunitions and devices in design, production, inspection, training, and use. Features: Answers "know what", "know why "and "know how" of pyrotechnic compositions and pyrotechnic ammunitions and devices Explains various concepts and mechanisms of the military pyrotechnics Deliberates on role and characteristics of pyrotechnic compositions and its classification Discusses various factors affecting performance and some differences in military pyrotechnics Describes various methods of initiation of ignition in ammunition Elucidates basic requirements of pyrotechnic ammunitions, its development and life cycle of ammunition lots Provides classification, division, shelf life, compatibility and nomenclature of ammunitions and devices Reviews test/proof requirements of ammunitions and devices, deployment and functioning, defect classification, sampling plan and acceptance criteria Explores latest trends in 'green pyrotechnics' for environment- friendly military pyrotechnics

Advances in Extraterrestrial Drilling: Ground, Ice, and Underwater includes the latest advances that have been made in recent years in developing drilling and excavation mechanisms for extraterrestrial bodies. The chapters cover drill types, drilling techniques and their advantages and associated issues, rock coring including acquisition, damage control, caching and transport, and data interpretation, as well as unconsolidated soil drilling and borehole stability. This book includes a description of the basic science of the drilling process, associated processes of breaking and penetrating various media, the required hardware, and the process of excavation and analysis of the sampled media. Covers the most recent advances in extraterrestrial drilling. Discusses drilling in the broadest range of media including ground, ice, underwater, and planetary surfaces from shallow to very deep. Provides a comprehensive description of key drilling techniques and the efforts to develop unified approach to assessing the required tools for given drilling requirements. Discusses how environment affects drilling and approaches to addressing the effects and current challenges of drilling and excavation on other planets. Examines novel drilling and excavation approaches. Dr. Yoseph Bar-Cohen is the Supervisor of the Electroactive Technologies Group (http://ndeaa.jpl.nasa.gov/) and a Senior Research Scientist at the Jet Propulsion Lab/Caltech, Pasadena, CA. His research is focused on electro-mechanics including planetary sample handling mechanisms, novel actuators that are driven by materials such as piezoelectric and EAP (also known as artificial muscles), and biomimetics. Dr. Kris Zacny is a Senior Scientist and Vice President of Exploration Systems at Honeybee Robotics, Altadena, CA. His expertise includes space mining, sample handling, soil and rock mechanics, extraterrestrial drilling, and In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU).