This paper presents a new approach to predict the strength of energetic compounds in which there are important classes of high explosives including nitroaromatics, acyclic and cyclic nitramines, nitrate esters and nitroaliphatics. For CaHbNcOd compounds, the ratio of carbon to oxygen atoms and the predicted heat of detonation on the basis of the H2O-CO2 arbitrary have been used to calculate the strength of an explosive. The new model can give good predictions for mentioned energetic compounds as determined by the Trauzl test. The novel correlation will be useful in predicting the strength or power of a new energetic compound that has significant potential in the field of explosives and propellants. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.