Explosion severity in SAChE models depends on which factors?

• A. Confinement and fuel concentration
• B. Altitude and solar radiation
• C. Color of flame
• D. Time of day

Answer: (A)

Explosion severity in SAChE models is governed by confinement and fuel concentration. When a space is tightly confined, the expanding combustion gases can’t vent easily, causing pressure to rise quickly and reach higher peak overpressures, which translates into more severe damage. The amount of fuel present in the mixture determines how much energy is released during combustion; mixtures near the stoichiometric ratio release the most energy, producing stronger overpressures, while too lean or too rich mixtures yield less energy and lower severity. Factors like altitude or time of day don’t directly set the peak severity in this context, and the flame color is not a measure of explosion impact.