The Internal Blast Wave Produced in a Closed Range by a 155mm Howitzer Gun

Abstract

This work is concerned with the internal air blast resulting from firing a 155mm Howitzer gun in a closed test range. The range is about 260 meters long and has a typical cross-section of 5x6 meters. Various openings in the range are closed by steel doors. A good estimate of the dynamic load on the doors is critical for their proper design, and is the main objective of the present study. The pressure loading on the walls is calculated using a numerical hydrodynamic code. The problem is formulated as a quasi one-dimensional flow in a variable area duct. The initial conditions of the flow at the muzzle gun position are derived from a simplified model for the mixing of the hot combustion products of the propellant and a finite mass of the ambient air. In addition, two-dimensional calculations were carried out to get more detailed distributions of the pressure loading at the target end and at the firing arena. It was found that reflected overpressure levels of about 35 KPa (approximately equal to 5 psi) are attained for typical periods of about 100 ms.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 1990
Accession Number
ADA526380

Entities

People

  • D. Palan
  • Y. Kivity

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Blast Loads
  • Blast Waves
  • Combustion
  • Combustion Products
  • Computer Programs
  • Dynamic Loads
  • Explosions
  • Explosives
  • Geometry
  • Guns
  • Howitzers
  • Hydrocodes
  • Materials
  • Overpressure
  • Peak Values
  • Propellants
  • Two Dimensional

Fields of Study

  • Engineering
  • Physics

Readers

  • Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) Technology.
  • Structural Dynamics.
  • ballistics.