Munitions experimental explosives

The comparisons with experimental distributions would be incomplete without examining some exploding munitions data. Data of this type have been published by Mock and Holt (1983) in which explosive-filled cylinders of armco iron and several heat-treated steels were detonated, and the fragments collected and analyzed. A cumulative number distribution from one of the heat-treated steel experiments is shown in Fig. 8.33. The trend of the data in this example is typical of the six experiments performed by them. 

The explosives used for military purposes are different from those used in industry. Not only thermo mechanical power for destruction, but also various other characteristics are required. Experimental tests, such as slow cook-off fast cook-off, bullet impact, and sympathetic explosion tests, must be passed to meet the requirements for insensitive munitions (IM). The aerodynamic heating of warheads on flight projectiles is also an important factor in designing warheads. 

State and local governments must realize at the outset that the military lacks experience in many aspects of environmental remediation and even in munitions clearance. For example, until 1994 there was a moratorium on the excavation of chemical weapons. UXO technicians may also be unfamiliar with residual contamination from chemical and explosive weapons. Even with explosive ordnance, mistakes can occur. Recently a scrap metal worker was killed when an ordnance item that was hidden among other ordnance scrap metal exploded while being cut up for scrap with a torch. Another area where the military lacks ordnance experience is in World War I and older ordnance and in experimental ordnance. The database of the U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center in Huntsville, Alabama, is often incomplete in these areas. 

S. H. Mauskopf, The Experimental Study of Munitions Scientific and Military Traditions , in Actes des Troisieme Joumees Scientilique Paul VieiHe Instrumentation, Experimentation et Expertise des Materieux Energetiques (Poudres, Explosives et Pyrotechnie) du XVIe Siecle a Nos lours (Paris Centre de Recherche en Histoire des Sciences et des Techniques, Association des Amis du Patrimoine Pouolrier et Pyrotechnique, 2002), 11-28. 

This paper will briefly review experimental work with both cased explosives and propellants which illustrates the complexity of the phenomena involved and shows the importance of various system design parameters in determining responses. This will lead to the presentation of a protocol which is being developed to describe the response of munitions to fragment impact. The protocol helps to define the data required to generate a full model of the process. These data requirements vary from the macroscopic to the molecular level. Work now under way in our laboratories to begin to fill these requirements will be described. 

This book is intended to serve as a primer so that community residents and activists, state and federal environmental officials, environmental experts with private organizations, and military personnel can learn the basics about environmental remediation of munitions and munitions constituents. This book covers all aspects of locating munitions and constituents, except for the destruction of the munitions once found. Occasional anecdotes are included to make the book more readable and to reveal the difficulty that even experts face. This book explains the principles of munitions cleanup in simple terms for the novice and also includes complex research on chemicals, explosives, experimental ordnance, and historical information often unknown to the experts. Highly experienced personnel may find it more useful to refer to it as a technical manual rather than read it cover to cover. 

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