Recent Combined Effects Explosives Technology

Abstract : Eigenvalue detonation theory has been shown to explain the observed behavior of new aluminized combined effects explosives. An analytical cylinder test model has long been used the U.S. Army Armaments Research, Development and Engineering Center, Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey for explosive equation of state calibration and verification. The analytic model was originally based on adiabatic expansion along the principle isentrope from the Chapman-Jouguet state. The analytic cylinder test model was recently updated to include eigenvalue detonation theory and associated adiabatic expansion from the fully reacted Hugoniot weak point. The results show a small reduction of explosive work output for eigenvalue detonations compared to Chapman-Jouguet detonations. The details of the analytic cylinder test are presented. Additionally, new semi-metal combined explosive compositions based on Si and B were investigated using the JAGUAR thermochemical equation of state and the new eigenvalue extended analytic cylinder model. These new semimetal based formulations show potential high energy and high blast performance equal or greater than current combined effects explosives and also provide significant promise for reduced sensitivity.