Recently, the blast load has become more recognized in the structural engineering field because the blast load can result in not only disproportionate structural failure but also tremendous casualties of lives and injuries. As an effort to overcome this problem, blast resistant analyses and designs have been developed, and the methodology would be incorporated into the conventional construction design. Analysis of structures exposed to blast load is the first step for the design, and it requires good understanding of blast phenomena and the following dynamic response of structures. This paper provides an up-to-date comprehensive review of the incident blast wave and its parameters for air and ground blasts. Considering the Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC 3-340-02) as a benchmark, a quantitative comparison between the empirical results presented by researchers and the result given in UFC charts is conducted for a span of scaled distances. We discuss the appropriate use of empirical or analytical equations for precise prediction of blast pressures, and recommend equations that match well the results presented in UFC.

The realization of high‐contrast modulation in optically transparent media is of great significance for emerging mechano‐responsive smart windows. However, no study has provided fundamental strategies for maximizing light scattering during mechanical deformations. Here, a new type of 3D nanocomposite film consisting of an ultrathin (≈60 nm) Al₂O₃ nanoshell inserted between the elastomers in a periodic 3D nanonetwork is proposed. Regardless of the stretching direction, numerous light‐scattering nanogaps (corresponding to the porosity of up to ≈37.4 vol%) form at the interfaces of Al₂O₃ and the elastomers under stretching. This results in the gradual modulation of transmission from ≈90% to 16% at visible wavelengths and does not degrade with repeated stretching/releasing over more than 10 000 cycles. The underlying physics is precisely predicted by finite element analysis of the unit cells. As a proof of concept, a mobile‐app‐enabled smart window device for Internet of Things applications is realized using the proposed 3D nanocomposite with successful expansion to the 3 × 3 in. scale.