Our updated 3.5-day short course returns to Golden, Colorado, February 2–5, 2027, now with a new module on AI.
Most explosives training teaches people what to do. Far less of it explains why explosives behave the way they do, or how engineers measure and predict that behavior.
That gap is why we created Explosives Engineering, Science & Technology, an intensive in-person short course from Petr Explosives Group. For 2027 we’ve updated the program and added a session many of our participants have asked about: Artificial Intelligence in Explosives Engineering.
More Than a Safety Course
This is not an introductory or safety-only program. It’s a technical course about how explosives work, built around three questions engineers face every day:
- What makes an explosive perform the way it does?
- How can that performance be measured?
- How far can our predictions be trusted?
To answer them, we connect explosive chemistry, detonation behavior, shock-wave propagation, fragmentation and the dynamic response of materials. We focus especially on military explosives and energetic formulations and compare them with commercial explosives. That comparison shows how chemical composition, material properties and the intended application shape performance.
What the Course Covers
1. Explosive Chemistry & Energetic Materials
We start with the chemistry of explosives and the differences between commercial and military formulations. You’ll see how composition, energetic properties and material characteristics drive detonation behavior.
2. Detonation Physics & Shock-Wave Fundamentals
A focused refresher on detonation theory, shock-wave propagation, performance parameters, scaling laws and dynamic material response, always tied back to practical engineering.
3. Blast Effects, Fragmentation & Engineering Applications
Blast-wave behavior, explosive loading and fragmentation mechanics, including Gurney methods for estimating fragment velocity, and how explosive energy affects surrounding materials and structures.
4. Numerical Modeling & Performance Prediction
How basic and advanced numerical models simulate detonation, shock waves, fragmentation and material response. Just as important, we cover model calibration, experimental validation and uncertainty, which separate a useful simulation from a misleading one.
5. Hands-On: The Shock-Wave Physics Laboratory
A four-hour laboratory session where theory meets measurement:
- Pressure sensors and shock-wave measurements
- Shock-wave velocity determination
- High-speed imaging of dynamic events
- Projectile motion and velocity analysis
- Schlieren visualization of shock waves
- Interpreting experimental data and comparing it with theoretical predictions
6. NEW for 2027: Artificial Intelligence in Explosives Engineering
AI is starting to appear in energetic materials research, and engineers need a clear view of what it can and cannot do. This session looks at how AI-assisted methods can:
- Support the processing of experimental data
- Identify relationships in complex datasets
- Compare simulation results with measurements
- Assist with performance analysis and research workflows
We’ll be honest about the limits too. AI is only as good as the experimental data and validated engineering models behind it.
Four Tools, One Picture
One idea runs through the whole course: modern explosives engineering combines four approaches.
Fundamental Science → Experimental Measurements → Numerical Modeling → AI-Assisted Analysis
Each one strengthens the others. Together they give a fuller understanding of how energetic materials behave, and a better way to judge whether your predictions are reliable.
Who Should Attend?
The course is designed for:
- Explosives and energetic materials engineers
- Defense industry professionals and military technical personnel
- Scientists and researchers working with energetic materials
- Mechanical, aerospace, mining and materials engineers
- Experimental testing and instrumentation specialists
- Technical professionals looking for an intensive refresher or a broader view of explosives engineering
Whether you’ve worked in the field for years or are expanding into energetic materials, you’ll leave with a clearer picture of the science behind the work.
Course Details
| Dates | February 2–5, 2027 |
| Location | Golden, Colorado, USA |
| Format | 3.5-day in-person technical short course |
| Tuition | $2,950 per participant |
| Certificate | 28-Hour Certificate of Completion |
| Organizer | Petr Explosives Group |
The program combines expert-led lectures, engineering examples, interactive discussion and hands-on demonstrations. Class size is limited so participants have real time with the instructors.
Reserve Your Seat
Refresh your knowledge, explore new technologies and strengthen your engineering expertise alongside fellow engineers and researchers.
Register for Explosives Engineering, Science & Technology →
Petr Explosives Group: Practical Education in Explosives Science, Engineering & Technology
