Computational Resources for Multiscale Shock Simulations
Abstract
The shock-induced chemical initiation of high-energy (HE) materials is mediated by the formation of hotspots, where the energy of the shock is spatially localized. These hotspots originate from the interaction of a supersonic shockwave with the microstructure and defects of the material. Hotspots above a critical strength turn into deflagration waves which, in turn, can merge and cause a detonation. The length and time scales of the phenomena involved span several orders of magnitude. These include chemical bond scission and formation (Ã…ngstroms and femtoseconds), interfacial processes and localized plastic deformation (nanometers), the collapse of porosity (tens of nanometers to microns), and crystal grains with scales up to 100 microns. These processes conspire to lead to run to detonation lengths in plastic bonded explosives (PBXs) in the millimeter scale (depending on shock strength). A striking indication of the importance of hotspots in the initiation of HEs is the near impossibility of initiating perfect, single crystals. No single model can capture the range of scales involved and the development of multiscale models for the initiation and failure of detonations and current models for these processes require calibration from complex and costly experiments. We currently lack predictive models capable of predicting shock initiation and failure from chemistry and microstructural information alone.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Mar 06, 2024
- Source ID
- FA95502310510
Entities
People
- Alejandro Strachan
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- Purdue University
- United States Air Force