Scaled experiments on cavity confined explosions in limestone and poly(methyl methacrylate)

Cranch, G. A.; Grun, J.; Zulick, C.; Weaver, J.; Fournier, K. B.; Compton, S.; Dunlop, W.; Walton, O.; Gran, J. K.; Groethe, M.

doi:10.1063/1.5109376

Title: Scaled experiments on cavity confined explosions in limestone and poly(methyl methacrylate)

Journal Article · Sat Sep 28 00:00:00 EDT 2019 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5109376· OSTI ID:1567999

Cranch, G. A. ^[1]; Grun, J. ^[2];

^[2];

^[3];

^[4]; Dunlop, W. ^[3]; Walton, O. ^[5]; Gran, J. K. ^[6]; Groethe, M. ^[6]

Naval Research Lab. (NRL), Washington, DC (United States). Optical Sciences Division
Naval Research Lab. (NRL), Washington, DC (United States). Plasma Physics Division
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States). Defense Technologies Engineering Division
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States). Atmosphere, Earth and Energy Division
SRI International, Menlo Park, CA (United States). Poulter Lab.

A scaled experiment comprising a laser-driven explosion in a cavity is used to characterize the coupling of mechanical energy into the surrounding solid material. Experiments are performed using poly(methyl methacrylate) and dry Salem limestone as the explosion containment blocks materials, in which are milled scaled spherical cavities of various dimensions. Measurements of the coupled shock, taken with fiber optic probes at the cavity wall, show the critical radius where wall deformation transitions from plastic to elastic deformation. These measurements also provide a diagnostic of the air blast, which is validated against GEODYN simulation code. The measurement of the coupled shock amplitude taken farther from the wall in the linear region indicates increased coupling efficiency in small cavities over the range of scaled cavity radii from 6 to 20 m/kt^1/3, a phenomenon not previously observed in experiments. A comparison of results taken in this experiment with a parallel experiment using high explosive (HE) as the source shows that coupled shocks generated with HE are characteristically different with much larger amplitude than those produced by a high energy density laser-driven source with the same yield. This experimental technique potentially provides a rapid and cost-effective method to analyze the consequences of a full-scale, low yield, buried explosion.

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Research Organization:: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC52-07NA27344

OSTI ID:: 1567999

Report Number(s):: LLNL-JRNL-771197; 953408; TRN: US2001225

Journal Information:: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 126, Issue 12; ISSN 0021-8979

Publisher:: American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 1 work

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