If the REF is below 1.00, what effects are primarily observed?

When the Reflected Energy Factor (REF) is below 1.00, it indicates that the energy imparted by the explosion is not fully transferred back into the environment, typically resulting in lesser effective damage in certain types of blasts. Specifically, when the REF is below 1.00, pushing and heaving effects become more pronounced.

In this context, pushing refers to the forward momentum imparted to materials and structures directly by the explosive forces, which can lead to movement or displacement of these elements. Heaving effects describe the vertical displacement caused by blasts, especially in scenarios where the explosive event leads to significant pressure changes affecting the surrounding medium.

Both pushing and heaving effects can particularly be observed in situations where the reflected energy is insufficient to create severe fragmentation or cutting. In contrast, higher REF values would indicate stronger shock wave effects and fragmentation due to more energy being reflected back into the materials, thus leading to more destructive outcomes.