Reaction Characteristic for Various Scale Explosive under Mild Impact

This work presents a varying trend of impact ignition threshold denoted by minimum impact velocity to trigger an ignition when the scale of the explosive changes. The effects of explosive scale factors on impact-induced reaction degree were investigated using Steven tests and numerical simulation for polymer-bonded explosive-C03 (a cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine [HMX]-based explosive) impacted by projectiles of various velocities. Two scale factors—that is, axial thickness and radius—were studied through various scale samples including Φ98 mm × 13 mm, Φ98 mm × 39 mm, Φ140 mm × 13 mm, and Φ140 mm × 39 mm. The velocities of projectiles and the impact and ignition processes were analyzed using a high-speed camera. The pressure histories were measured by embedded manganin pressure gauges and poly vinylidene fluoride stress gauges. The reaction overpressures of the explosive were obtained by blast pressure gauges to evaluate the reaction degree. The effects of explosive scale factor on reaction degree and characteristics under mild impact were summarized. In a certain range (larger than the diameter of the impact projectile), different sample diameters do not influence the velocity threshold, but the thickness of the samples does; that is, the velocity threshold increases with the thickness of the sample. The study also indicates that the ignition and explosion in Steven tests are mainly triggered by the overlapping of direct impact and reflected stress waves. Our numerical simulations results of pressure and ignition times are consistent with the experimental data. The obtained knowledge can be used to evaluate the safety of different scale HMX-based explosives under accidental impact or falls.