Double-shock experiments and simulations of insensitive high explosives

In this talk we will present double-shock desensitization experiments and simulations of insensitive high explosives (IHE). Here, shock desensitization refers to an apparent inhibition of chemical reaction that results when an IHE is subjected to a weak shock (~7 GPa), prior to a stronger shock. This may occur, for example, in gas gun experiments containing high-impedance reflector materials in their flyers. The initial flyer-target impact generates a low-pressure shock, which is followed by a stronger shock upon reflection. The latter experiments were performed at the single stage gas gun facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The experiments were modeled using a continuum reactive flow model for IHE based on the concept of hot-spot ignition. The model successfully reproduces shock desensitization observed in the experiments, without direct calibration. Potential mechanisms responsible for desensitization will be discussed.



This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under contract DEAC52-07NA27344.

LLNL-ABS-872355