Modelling of the underwater shock sensitivity of polyurethane FOAM / PETN explosives

Abstract The underwater shock sensitivity of a Polyurethane Foam / PETN explosive system was investigated using the Forest Fire model. Pop plots for the explosive were determined by conducting calibrated gap tests. Wedge tests were used but proved extremely difficult to control due to the inhomogeneity of the explosive, its low detonation performance and its high sensitivity. Numerical modelling of calibrated gap tests and underwater gap sensitivity experiments yielded results very close to the experimental ones indicating that the technique is applicable to the low density - low impact pressure regimes.