Prediction of low-velocity-impact ignition threshold of energetic materials by shear-band mesoscale simulations

When energetic materials are subjected to a low-velocity impact, they can develop viscoplastic localization, also known as an adiabatic shear band (ASB), leading to unwanted ignition. In this work, the simulation of shear band formation at mesoscale resolution has been incorporated in an ignition model. The simulation results suggest that a low-velocity impact induces the formation of an ASB, leading to ignition. Good agreement was found between the ignition model predictions and available impact test data. The ability of the model to predict the ignition threshold solely on the basis of mesoscale simulations demonstrates its superiority over existing empirical models.