Shock waves in water foams

Propagation of shock waves in tubes filled with water foams is studied using pressure gauges. Low amplitude shock waves consist of a precursor which propagates at a velocity slightly less than the acoustic velocity in the gas, and of a main compression wave which propagates slower than the precursor. Stronger shock waves have a single front. Maximum pressure rise in the incident and reflected shock waves cannot be calculated using one-dimensional conservation equations at the shock front. It is suggested that the flow of the liquid in foam cells has to be taken into account in order to predict the behavior of shock waves in foams. The nature of the gas which fills the cells is shown to have a strong effect on the quenching of blast waves in foams.