Research on the Safety Response Characteristics of Composite Charges Under Shock Wave Loading

Abstract In this work, reaction intensity diagnostic techniques such as self‐shorting electrical probes and witness plates were used to establish a new large‐scale gap test device, which can be used to effectively study the influence of shock wave pressure, confinement strength, and insensitive explosive layer thickness on the safety response under shock loading. Taking a composite charge consisting of a TATB‐based and an HMX‐based aluminized explosive as an example, the influence of shock wave pressure, shell confinement, and composite charge structure on the reaction intensity was studied in detail. The results show that the reaction intensity of the charge is positively correlated with the shock wave pressure, increases with the shell confinement strength, and decreases with the insensitive explosive layer thickness. For the same composite charge structure and confinement strength, the reaction intensity level of the charge increases with the shock pressure. When PBX‐5 is 40 mm thick and PBX‐6 is 60 mm thick, under initial pressures of 6.45, 3.61, and 1.51 GPa, the reaction levels are detonation, deflagration, and no reaction, respectively. Under the same shock pressure, the reaction intensity increases with the confinement strength and decreases with the insensitive explosive layer thickness. For the same composite charge structure and shock pressure (5 mm PBX‐5, 95 mm PBX‐6; 1.51 GPa shock pressure value), when the sleeve is 5 mm steel, 5 mm aluminum, 2 mm steel or weaker, the reaction levels are detonation, detonation, and no reaction, respectively. These results are helpful to the safety design of composite charges.