Progress in Statistical Crack Mechanics : An Approach to Initiation
- John
- Qiuhai K.
- Andre J.
We have developed a general theory for the formation of hot spots from defects in explosives and propellants, and applied the theory to a variety of issues concerning the sensitivity of reactive materials. The defects of greatest concern in PBXs are cracks formed in the explosive grains, which are normally brittle. The theory accounts for the opening, shear, growth, and coalescence of cracks. In addition, the theory accounts for the heating caused by interfacial friction in closed (shear) cracks and the ignition process that results. Heat conduction and chemical reactions are treated on a smaller spatial scale than the overall continuum response; this is accomplished in the numerical (FEA) simulation with a sub-grid model. In previous work we have shown the feasibility of using this approach to model explosions that result from relatively mild insults, where many other hot-spot mechanisms fail. This paper addresses some of the complications that arise as mechanical failure and heating are examined in greater detail, including the effects of crack orientation, friction, melting, viscosity in molten regions, radial crack formation via a new approach to percolation theory, and 3-D effects.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 976194
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-02-3258; TRN: US201009%%385
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: "Submitted to: 12th International Detonation Symposium August 11-16, 2002, San Diego, CA."
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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