Optical Pressure Measurements of Explosions

Abstract

High-speed video and streak-camera imaging are used to measure peak pressures for explosions of spherical charges of C-4. The technique measures the velocity of the air shock produced by the detonation of the explosive charges, converts this velocity to a Mach number, and uses the Mach number to determine a peak shock pressure. Peak pressure measurements are reported from a few millimeters to ~1 m from the charge surface. Optical peak pressure measurements are compared to peak pressures measured using mechanical pressure transducers, and to peak pressure measurements estimated using the blast estimator computer code CONWEP. A discussion of accuracy of peak pressures determined optically is provided.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 2013
Accession Number
ADA588136

Entities

People

  • Kevin L. McNesby
  • Matthew M. Biss
  • Richard A. Benjamin
  • Ronnie A. Thompson

Organizations

  • United States Army Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Counter IED
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accuracy
  • Cameras
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Chemistry
  • Detonations
  • Explosions
  • Explosives
  • High Explosives
  • Mach Number
  • Materials Laboratories
  • Materials Science
  • Measurement
  • Near Field
  • Plastic Explosives
  • Pressure Measurement
  • Streak Cameras
  • Transducers

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Explosive Engineering.
  • Fluid Dynamics.