The ex plosio n process a n d paramete rs in the blast of large iron a nd steel wastesare analysed by using the theory of fracture mechanice.A three-dimensional model is established us-ing pressurised cylinder with multiple semi-elliptical surface cracks.Reasons are given for the expla-nation that the dynamic fracture toughness for iron and steel is generally lower than the correspond-ing static value during the blast.The importance is emphasized of the critical duration time of the dy-namic stress intensity factor for crack extension.