Mitigating Effect of Polymer Coating on Deformation From Non-Ideal Explosions

Non-ideal explosions such as those caused by fuel-air explosions or improvised explosive devices (IEDs) are capable of producing extensive damage on neighboring structures. Using detonations of gaseous reactants in closed pipes as a model, we are examining methods to mitigate the amount of plastic deformation (damage) resulting from non-ideal explosions. The highest pressures and the largest deformations are observed to occur at the closed end of the pipe where a reflected shock wave is created to bring the flow to rest. In previous studies, we have quantified the deformations near the closed end of a mild steel tube with no mitigating methods present. In the present study, we examine the effect of introducing a polyurea coating to the exterior of stainless steel pipes. Polymer coatings applied to underwater structures and ship hulls have been shown [1,3,5] to reduce the amount of deformation resulting from blast loadings in some cases. We will compare strain data resulting from detonations propagating in six tubes. Two of the six tubes have no coating to establish a baseline measurement while the other four have coatings of different thickness to examine the effect of polyurea.