Deflagrating Munitions and the Mass Detonation Hazard
Abstract
We have previously reported that collisions, impact and fragment strikes resulting from violently deflagrating 105 mm shell did not produce detonation of neighbouring rounds and thus were unlikely to be the cause of a mass detonation hazard. This paper reports an extension of that work using 81 mm mortar as a representative thin skinned munition, further tests with 105 mm shell and the determination of parameters that define the behaviour of the violently deflagrating donor. Some tests were conducted with a mixture of the two types of munitions using a 105 mm shell as the deflagrating donor and the 81 mm mortar as acceptors; this was to investigate the effect of larger, thicker fragment strikes on cased ordnance. The investigation relates to the conditions that may be encountered during the storage, transportation and deployment of munitions. All rounds were filled with Composition B. The investigation did not isolate any process that was likely to be the direct cause of escalating a deflagrating reaction to a mass detonation hazard in a stack of similar munitions. However results from the mixed munition array tests suggests further work to investigate the effect of large, thick fragment impacts on thin cased, damaged fillings. There is some evidence that nose end plugs produce a confinement effect on the deflagration reaction.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1992
- Accession Number
- ADA529529
Entities
People
- D. Mcqueen
- L. Mcvay
- M. Chick
- T. J. Bussell
Organizations
- Defence Science and Technology Group