Characterizing detonator output using dynamic witness plates

Michael J. Murphy, Ronald Adrian

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

A sub-microsecond, time-resolved micro-particle-image velocimetry (PIV) system is developed to investigate the output of explosive detonators. Detonator output is directed into a transparent solid that serves as a dynamic witness plate and instantaneous shock and material velocities are measured in a two-dimensional plane cutting through the shock wave as it propagates through the solid. For the case of unloaded initiators (e.g. exploding bridge wires, exploding foil initiators, etc.) the witness plate serves as a surrogate for the explosive material that would normally be detonated. The velocity-field measurements quantify the velocity of the shocked material and visualize the geometry of the shocked region. Furthermore, the time-evolution of the velocity-field can be measured at intervals as small as 10 ns using the PIV system. Current experimental results of unloaded exploding bridge wire output in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) witness plates demonstrate 20 MHz velocity-field sampling just 300 ns after initiation of the wire.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationShock Compression of Condensed Matter - 2009 - Proceedings of the Conference of the American Physical Society Topical Group on Shock Compression of Condensed Matter
Pages655-658
Number of pages4
DOIs
StatePublished - 2009
EventConference of the American Physical Society Topical Group on Shock Compression of Condensed Matter, 2009 APS SCCM - Nashville, TN, United States
Duration: Jun 28 2009Jul 3 2009

Publication series

NameAIP Conference Proceedings
Volume1195
ISSN (Print)0094-243X
ISSN (Electronic)1551-7616

Other

OtherConference of the American Physical Society Topical Group on Shock Compression of Condensed Matter, 2009 APS SCCM
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityNashville, TN
Period6/28/097/3/09

Keywords

  • Detonator
  • Dynamic witness plate
  • PIV
  • Shock wave

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Physics and Astronomy

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