Three-dimensional shock wave reconstruction using multiple high-speed digital cameras and background-oriented schlieren imaging

A methodology to perform three-dimensional reconstruction of an explosively driven shock wave’s position and shape as a function of time is developed here. A series of explosive tests are performed where the explosive process is imaged by multiple high-speed digital cameras spread over a wide area. The high-speed images are processed using the background-oriented schlieren method to visualize the shock wave. The data from the multiple camera views are then merged into a single three-dimensional point cloud representing the locations on the shock wave. The propagation of the shock wave is measured and fit to the Dewey equation. Analysis of the shock wave position and propagation allows identification of asymmetries on the shock front due to an asymmetrical explosion process. The techniques developed here are shown to be useful tools that can be implemented to augment the traditional point-wise instrumentation of current explosives research testing and provide an enhanced characterization of an explosion over traditional arena test methods.