The Mechanisms and Parameters of Abrasive Waterjet (AWJ) Cutting of High-Explosive Projectiles

Abstract

Alliant Techsystems has researched sectioning high-explosive projectiles with abrasive waterjets (AWJ) and has examined the physical mechanisms of the process. In addition to performing parametric studies of waterjets, Alliant Techsystems has cut over 170,000 high-explosive projectiles under controlled conditions to evaluate the safety of the waterjet cutting process. Here, the various parameters that affect the safety and performance of the abrasive waterjet cutting process are described and the relative merits of the different options are compared. Specifically, the safety-critical parameters are the diameter of the jet stream and the velocity of the water. With these safety critical parameters, the likelihood of an initiation can be predicted for a given explosive using existing projectile impact models developed by various laboratories.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 1992
Accession Number
ADA507032

Entities

People

  • Paul L. Miller

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abrasives
  • Abstracts
  • Aluminum Oxides
  • Ammunition
  • Cutting Tools
  • Department Of Defense
  • Diameters
  • Explosives
  • Flow Rate
  • High Explosive Ammunition
  • High Explosives
  • Jet Streams
  • Mass Flow
  • Materials
  • Materials Laboratories
  • Projectiles
  • United States

Readers

  • Combustion and Flow Dynamics.
  • Environmental Engineering.
  • ballistics.