Shock initiation sensitivity and Hugoniot-based equation of state of Composition B obtained using in situ electromagnetic gauging

• Published in: Journal of physics. Conference series Vol. 500; no. 19; pp. 192004 - 6
• Main Authors: Gibson, L L, Dattelbaum, D M, Bartram, B D, Sheffield, S A, Gustavsen, R L, Brown, G W, Sandstrom, M M, Giambra, A M, Handley, C A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol IOP Publishing 01.01.2014
• Subjects: Composition; Compressibility; Density; Detonation; Equations of state; Gaging; Gas guns; Gauging; HMX; Physics; Plate impact tests; RDX; Sensitivity; TNT
• ISSN: 1742-6596; 1742-6588; 1742-6596
• DOI: 10.1088/1742-6596/500/19/192004

A series of gas gun-driven plate impact experiments were performed on vacuum melt-cast Composition B to obtain new Hugoniot states and shock sensitivity (run-distance-to-detonation) information. The Comp B (ρ0 = 1.713 g/cm3) consisted of 59.5% RDX, 39.5% TNT, and 1% wax, with ~ 6.5% HMX in the RDX. The measured Hugoniot states were found to be consistent with earlier reports, with the compressibility on the shock adiabat softer than that of a 63% RDX material reported by Marsh.[4] The shock sensitivity was found to be more sensitive (shorter run distance to detonation at a given shock input condition) than earlier reports for Comp B-3 and a lower density (1.68-1.69 g/cm3) Comp B formulation. The reactive flow during the shock-to-detonation transition was marked by heterogeneous, hot spot-driven growth both in and behind the leading shock front.