CREST modelling of PBX 9502 corner turning experiments at different initial temperatures

Abstract

Corner turning is an important problem in regard to detonation wave propagation in TATB-based explosives. Experimentally, a sudden change in the direction of the propagating wave, such as turning a sharp corner, can result in dead-zones being left behind in the corner turn region, with the observed behaviour being particularly sensitive to the initial temperature of the explosive. In this paper, the entropy-dependent CREST reactive burn model is used to simulate corner turning experiments on the TATB-based explosive PBX 9502. Calculated results of double cylinder tests at three different initial temperatures (-54°C, ∼23°C, and 75°C), and a "hockey puck" experiment at ambient temperature, are compared to the corresponding test measurements. The results show that the model is able to: (i) calculate persistent dead-zones in PBX 9502 without recourse to any shock desensitisation treatment, and (ii) predict changes in corner turning behaviour with initial temperature using one set of coefficients.