Design methodology for understanding the sympathetic detonation characteristics of insensitive high explosives

Abstract

The understanding of sympathetic detonation of energetic materials is important from the stand point of safety, shelf life, storage requirements and handling. The objective of this thesis is to introduce a methodology to assess performance and sensitivity levels of insensitive munitions to sympathetic detonations. AUTODYN code was utilized to validate the shock sensitivity results for Composition B explosives. Upon code validation, simulations were conducted to evaluate small scale sympathetic detonation via gap tests. Similarly, large scale simulations of sympathetic detonations, reflective of real life scenarios, were performed. The understanding of this analysis offers insights for the testing, design and storage orientation of future energetic materials.