Quasistatic mechanical behavior of HMX- and TATB-based plastic-bonded explosives

Abstract Data on the macroscopic quasistatic mechanical behavior of pressed HMX- and TATB-based plastic-bonded explosives (PBXs) are listed in this paper. This review shows that (1) few characterizations are available for TATB-based PBXs. This gap is filled in this paper. An extensive database is detailed for the CEA M2 explosive composition. The HMX and TATB database then enables selection of the deformation mechanisms to be considered: viscoelasticity, damage-induced anisotropy and its effectivity (i.e.: whether or not the damage is influenced by the loading direction), plasticity with kinematic and isotropic hardenings, pressure and temperature dependencies and asymmetric failure threshold. The review also shows that (2) HMX- and TATB-based materials share close elastic and ultimate properties when the compositions (binders, solid volume fractions) and the mechanical behavior of the two crystals differ. The constitutive laws proposed in the literature are reiterated. In our opinion, a universal law could be proposed in the near future, each material being considered by its own set of parameters. The objective of this paper is to draw up the guidelines for model improvement.