Blaise Pascal didn't actually conduct an experiment involving the bursting of water staves. He is famous for his work on Pascal's Principle, which states that pressure applied to an enclosed fluid is transmitted undiminished to every point in the fluid and to the walls of the container.

The experiment you're likely thinking of is the "Barrel of Pascal" demonstration, often mistakenly attributed to Pascal. This demonstration uses a long, narrow tube attached to a barrel filled with water. When water is poured into the tube, the pressure exerted on the water in the barrel increases, and eventually, the barrel bursts.

This experiment is a demonstration of Pascal's principle. The pressure exerted by the water in the tube is transmitted equally throughout the barrel, and the pressure becomes too great for the barrel to withstand. The barrel bursting is a result of the increased pressure caused by the weight of the water in the tube.

However, Pascal himself did not perform this experiment. The demonstration was likely devised by someone else to illustrate his principle.