Explosive Train Scale Shock Testing of New Energetic Materials
Abstract
Insensitive munitions (IM) improve the survivability of both weapons and their associated platforms which can lead to a reduction in casualties, mission losses and whole life costs. All weapon systems contain an explosive train which needs to meet IM criteria but reliably initiate a main charge explosive. To ensure that these diametrically opposed requirements can be achieved, new higher power explosives with improved thermal stability and low response to both fragment and shock hazards are needed. Most generic small-scale IM tests have been designed for use with main charge explosives and could give misleading responses due to scaling effects. QinetiQ has recently investigated the IM compliance of several new energetic materials using a test which has been designed to simulate the shock produced by a range of different stimuli. Applying the Bruceton Staircase technique allowed the thickness and standard deviation of the attenuator discs required to give a 50% initiation probability of different acceptor explosives by a pellet of Debrix 18AS to be determined. The work showed that the test is capable of screening IM explosive train materials for their response to shock initiation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 2010
- Accession Number
- ADA532292
Entities
People
- G. T. Flegg
- P. J. Frankl
- T. T. Griffiths