Mechanical Properties of Energetic Materials
Abstract
This report discusses observations made which emphasize the importance of the mechanical properties of explosive samples in various initiation situations, and describes work on the drop-weight impact test, micro- particle initiation of explosives and stab-initiation. One of the main features of the drop-weight experiments was the use of high-speed photography to follow the many processes which take place before initiation. It was found that the sample may undergo plastic flow in bulk, show evidence of partial melting, and even (with PETN) melt completely. Initiation, when it took place, always did so after failure of the sample. In the micro-particle impact experiments the possibility of localized plastic flow was assessed; flow concentration by adiabatic shear was shown to be important during particle-impact initiation of some explosives. Experiments in which a conical strike initiated samples of primary explosive showed that the initiation mechanism was frictional: a model is presented which allows the temperatures generated during impact to be estimated. Section 3, describes three approaches which were used to study the frictional properties of a range of explosives, including PETN, HMX, RDX, silver azide and lead azide.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1977
- Accession Number
- ADA039600
Entities
People
- D. Tabor
- H. M. Hauser
- John Edwin Field
- M. M. Chaudri
- R. G. Patel
Organizations
- University of Cambridge