Material study on the fragmentation of high explosive, hemispherical shells: Diagnostics techniques and results

Bielawski, Matthew G

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/127271 Copy

Description

Title

Material study on the fragmentation of high explosive, hemispherical shells: Diagnostics techniques and results

Author(s)

Bielawski, Matthew G

Issue Date

2024-12-12

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Glumac, Nick G

Department of Study

Mechanical Sci & Engineering

Discipline

Theoretical & Applied Mechans

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

M.S.

Degree Level

Thesis

Keyword(s)

High Explosives, Fragmentation, Hemispherical Shells, Explosive Materials, Diagnostics Techniques, Experimental Methods, Spectroscopy, Optical Measurements, Shock Wave Analysis, Explosive Testing, Fragment Dynamics, Material Characterization, Ballistic Analysis, Explosive Fragmentation Modeling, Energy Deposition, Blast Wave Propagation, High-Speed Imaging, Spectral Analysis, Material Failure, Detonation Physics

Abstract

This study explores the complex multi-physics phenomena present in high explosive environments, requiring the simultaneous solution of chemical kinetics and Navier-Stokes equations to accurately simulate the details of an explosive event. To validate computational models, simpler experiments are necessary. In this case, hemispherical high explosive shells were chosen as they offer a more manageable, less-dimensional problem for computational testing. The research involved a series of diagnostic techniques applied to 100g and 500g hemispherical explosive shells, focusing on measuring key parameters such as temperature and pressure during fireball expansion. These measurements provided critical insights into the dynamics of explosive events and helped refine the simulations. The study further evaluated the diagnostic techniques in different conditions to test their reliability and precision in characterizing the fireball's behavior. Additionally, metallic shells weighing 50g and 250g were incorporated into the experiments to investigate how fragments influenced the temperature, flow, and overall expansion of the fireball. The metallic fragments were key to understanding fragment distribution patterns and how they interact with the explosive environment. High-speed videography, X-ray burst imaging three-color pyrometry, time-resolved spectroscopy, and ballistic gel recovery are just several techniques that were tested in this test series.

Graduation Semester

2024-12

Type of Resource

Thesis

Handle URL

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/127271

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2024 Matthew Bielawski

Owning Collections