Characterization of Blast Waveforms Produced by Different Driver Gasses in an Open-Ended Shock Tube Model

With the evolution of modern warfare and the increased use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), there has been an increase in blast-induced traumatic brain injuries (bTBI) among military personnel and civilians. The increased prevalence of bTBI necessitates bTBI models that result in a properly scaled injury for the model organism being used. The primary laboratory model for bTBI is the shock tube, wherein a compressed gas ruptures a thin membrane, generating a shockwave. To generate a shock wave that is properly scaled from human to rodent subjects the shock wave must have a short duration and high peak overpressure while fitting a Friedlander waveform, the ideal representation of a blast wave. A large variety of factors have been experimentally characterized in attempts to create an ideal waveform, however we found current research on the gas composition being used to drive shock wave formation to be lacking. To better understand the effect the driver gas has on the waveform being produced, we utilized a previously established murine shock tube bTBI model in conjunction with several distinct driver gasses. In agreement with previous findings, helium produced a shock wave most closely fitting the Friedlander waveform in contrast to the plateau-like waveforms produced by some other gases. The peak pressure at the exit of the shock tube and 5 cm from the exit have a strong negative correlation with the density of the gas being used: helium the least dense gas used produces the highest peak overpressure. Density of the driver gas also exerts a strong positive effect on the duration of the shock wave, with helium producing the shortest duration wave. Due to its ability to produce a Friedlander waveform and produce a waveform following proper injury scaling guidelines, helium is an ideal gas for use in shock tube models for bTBI.