Shock Initiation Experiments with Modeling on a DNAN Based Melt-Cast Insensitive Explosive

Abstract

2,4-dinitroanisole (DNAN) is a good replacement for 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) in melt-cast explosives due to its superior insensitivity. With the increasing use of DNAN-based melt-cast explosives, the prediction of reaction violence and hazard assessment of the explosives subjected to shock is of great significance. This study investigated the shock initiation characteristics for a DNAN-based melt-cast explosive, DHFA, using the one-dimensional Lagrangian apparatus. The embedded manganin gauges in the apparatus record the pressure histories at four Lagrangian positions and show that shock-to-detonation transition in DHFA needs a high input shock pressure. The experimental data are analyzed to calibrate the Ignition and Growth model. The calibration is performed using an objective function based on both pressure history and the arrival time of shock. Good agreement between experimental and calculated pressure histories indicates the high accuracy of the calibrated parameters with the optimization method.

Keywords

• 2,4-Dinitroanisole (DNAN)
• Shock initiation
• Insensitive explosives
• Ignition and growth model
• Equation of state (EOS)