A short history of the MABS Symposia
Reviewed by MABS Executive Committee September20th 2016
In the early years of the nuclear weapons age a large number of nuclear atmospheric tests were performed for several purposes. Among them, so called effect tests were conducted in order to investigate the effects of a nuclear explosion on military and civilian systems and equipment. Such tests provided the basic knowledge, in particular on the blast and thermal effects of nuclear explosions
In 1963 the "Limited Test Ban Treaty" entered into force. This treaty prohibits nuclear explosions in the atmosphere, space and underwater, thus ending the nuclear weapons effects test series. As a consequence, new methods and simulation techniques were needed for further investigations and studies in the field of the blast and thermal effects of nuclear explosions.
Based on the already well-known shock tube technique, blast simulators of various designs and sizes as well as thermal pulse simulators were developed and used. In a first phase, scientific results from these activities were presented and discussed in the context of the already existing "International Shock Tube Symposium". But it was soon realized that there was a requirement for a more specialized meeting which would be limited to scientists with a military focus, interested in the use of blast and thermal simulators. The MABS Symposia were born! The initial scope of the conference included the following topics which remained almost unchanged until the end of the Cold War:
-
military requirements for tests in blast simulators
- design of blast simulators (any device used to simulate blast waves of large scale explosions)
- specialized instrumentation or techniques
- test results
- comparison between simulation and field trials
- new or proposed simulation facilities, instrumentation or techniques
From MABS 1 to MABS 3 the primary interest focussed on the "Military Applications of Blast Simulators"
For MABS 4 to MABS 13, a more general formulation was chosen: "Military Applications of Blast Simulation"
After the end of the Cold War the interest in specific nuclear topics declined. The investigation of the phenomenology and effects of conventional explosions became more important. This is demonstratet by the new denomination for further MABS Symposia: "Military Aspects of Blast and Shock".
Throughout their history MABS Symposia have proven to be most successful conferences providing the international blast community places to meet and opportunities to present, to discuss and to exchange information, leading to what can be called an "international blast culture".
The following table provides an overview of all MABS Symposia, where and when they took place and which were the organizing institutions.
|
MABS 1: Military Applications of Blast Simulators |
Alberta, Canada |
18 – 21 July, 1967 |
Defence Research Establishment Suffield |
|
MABS 2: Military Applications of Blast Simulators |
Dahlgren, Virginia , U.S.A. |
2 – 5 November, 1970 |
The Naval Weapons Laboratory |
|
MABS 3: Military Applications of Blast Simulators |
Schwetzingen, Germany |
19 – 21 September, 1972 |
Ernst Mach Institut, Freiburg and Akademie für Wehrverwaltung und Wehrtechnik, Mannheim |
|
MABS 4: Military Applications of Blast Simulation |
Southend-on-Sea, England |
9 – 12 September, 1974 |
Atomic Weapons Research Establishment, Foulness |
|
MABS 5: Military Applications of Blast Simulation |
Stockholm, Sweden |
23 – 26 May, 1977 |
Fortifikationsförvaltningen |
|
MABS 6: Military Applications of Blast Simulation |
Cahors, France |
25 – 29 June, 1979 |
Centre d'Etude de Gramat |
|
MABS 7: Military Application of Blast Simulation |
Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada |
13 - 17 July, 1981 |
Defence Research Establishment Suffield |
|
MABS 8: Military Application of Blast Simulation |
Spiez, Switzerland |
20 – 24 June, 1983 |
AC-Laboratorium Spiez |
|
MABS 9: Military Application of Blast Simulation |
Oxford, England |
23 – 27 September, 1985 |
Atomic Weapons Research Establishment, Foulness |
|
MABS 10: Military Application of Blast Simulation |
Bad Reichenhall, Germany |
21 – 25 September, 1987 |
Erprobungstelle 52 der Bundeswehr Oberjettenberg and Ernst Mach Institut Freiburg |
|
MABS 11: Military Application of Blast Simulation |
Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A. |
10 – 15 September, 1989 |
Ballistic Research Laboratory and Defense Nuclear Agency |
|
MABS 12: Military Application of Blast Simulation |
Perpignan, France |
22 – 27 September, 1991 |
DGA / DRET Centre d'Etude de Gramat |
|
MABS 13: Military Application of Blast Simulation |
The Hague, The Netherlands |
13 – 17 September, 1993 |
Klvl and TNO-Prins Maurits Laboratory |
|
MABS 14: Military Aspects of Blast and Shock |
Las Cruces, New Mexico, U.S.A. |
10 – 15 September, 1995 |
Defense Nuclear Agency |
|
MABS 15: Military Aspects of Blast and Shock |
Banff, Alberta, Canada |
14 – 19 September, 1997 |
DRDB, Defence Research Establishment Suffield |
|
MABS 16: Military Aspects of Blast and Shock |
Oxford, England |
10 – 15 September, 2000 |
Cranfield University, Royal Military College of Science |
|
MABS 17: Military Aspects of Blast and Shock |
Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A. |
10 – 14 June, 2002 |
Defense Threat Reduction Agency |
|
MABS 18: Military Aspects of Blast and Shock |
Bad Reichenhall, Germany |
27 September – 1 October, 2004 |
Wehrtechnische Dienststelle für Schutz- und Sondertechnik |
|
MABS 19: Military Aspects of Blast and Shock |
Calgary, Alberta,Canada |
01 – 06 October, 2006 |
Defence Research & Development Canada (DRDC)Suffield |
|
MABS 20: Military Aspects of Blast and Shock |
Oslo, Norway |
31 August – 05 September, 2008 |
Norwegian Defence EstatesAgency, Swedish Research Agency, Swedish National Fortification Administration |
|
MABS 21: Military Aspects of Blast and Shock |
Jerusalem, Israel |
03 – 08 October, 2010 |
Protective Technologies Research and Development Center, Faculty of Engineering Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev (BGU-PTR&DC) |
|
MABS 22: Military Aspects of Blast and Shock |
Bourges, France |
04 – 09 November, 2012 |
Ecole National Supérieure d'Ingeniéurs de Bourges (ENSIB) and Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA) |
|
MABS 23: Military Aspects of Blast and Shock |
Oxford, England |
07 – 12 September, 2014 |
Cranfield University, Ministry of Defence, UK |
|
MABS 24: Military Aspects of Blast and Shock |
Halifax NS, Canada |
18 – 23 September, 2016 |
Defence Research & Development Canada (DRDC) Suffield and Lloyd’s Register Applied Technology Group, Canada |
|
MABS 25: Military
|
The Hague, The Netherlands
|
23 – 28 September, 2018 |
MABS 25 was hosted by the Dutch Ministry of Defense and TNO |
|
MABS 26: Military
|
Wollongong, Australia
|
3. – 8. December, 2023 |
MABS 26 was hosted by the Defence Science and Technology Group Australia, the University of Wollongong and the University of Sydney |