Untangling the combustion continuum: from burning to detonation and its implications for EOD

Abstract

Explosives engineers pride themselves on precision. Yet, when it comes to the vocabulary we use to describe the behaviour of energetic materials, there has long been ambiguity. Terms such as burning, deflagration, detonation, low-order, and high-order are often applied interchangeably or inconsistently. This lack of clarity may seem academic, but for practitioners working in ordnance disposal, testing, or accident investigation, it carries real-world consequences.