Low amplitude impact testing and analysis of pristine and aged solid high explosives

The critical impact velocities of 60.1 mm diameter blunt steel projectiles required for ignition of exothermic chemical reaction were determined for heavily confined charges of new and aged (15-30 years) solid HMX-based high explosives. The explosives in order of decreasing impact sensitivity were: PBX 9404; LX-lo; LX-14; PBX 9501; and LX-04. Embedded pressure gauges measured the interior pressure histories. Stockpile aged LX-04 and PBX 9501 from dismantled units were tested and compared to freshly pressed charges. The understanding of explosive aging on impact ignition and other hazards must improve as systems are being deployed longer than their initial estimated lifetimes. The charges that did not react on the first impact were subjected to multiple impacts. While the violence of reaction increased with impact velocity, it remained much lower than that produced by an intentional detonation. Ignition and Growth reactive flow models were developed to predict HMX-based explosive impact sensitivity in other geometries and scenarios.