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

Abstract

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/kt1/3, 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,more » low yield, buried explosion.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [2]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [3]; ORCiD logo [4];  [3];  [5];  [6];  [6]
+ Show Author Affiliations
  1. Naval Research Lab. (NRL), Washington, DC (United States). Optical Sciences Division
  2. Naval Research Lab. (NRL), Washington, DC (United States). Plasma Physics Division
  3. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
  4. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States). Defense Technologies Engineering Division
  5. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States). Atmosphere, Earth and Energy Division
  6. SRI International, Menlo Park, CA (United States). Poulter Lab.
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
OSTI Identifier:
1567999
Report Number(s):
LLNL-JRNL-771197
Journal ID: ISSN 0021-8979; 953408; TRN: US2001225
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC52-07NA27344
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Journal of Applied Physics
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 126; Journal Issue: 12; Journal ID: ISSN 0021-8979
Publisher:
American Institute of Physics (AIP)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
58 GEOSCIENCES

Citation Formats

Cranch, G. A., Grun, J., Zulick, C., Weaver, J., Fournier, K. B., Compton, S., Dunlop, W., Walton, O., Gran, J. K., and Groethe, M. Scaled experiments on cavity confined explosions in limestone and poly(methyl methacrylate). United States: N. p., 2019. Web. doi:10.1063/1.5109376.
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Cranch, G. A., Grun, J., Zulick, C., Weaver, J., Fournier, K. B., Compton, S., Dunlop, W., Walton, O., Gran, J. K., & Groethe, M. Scaled experiments on cavity confined explosions in limestone and poly(methyl methacrylate). United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5109376
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Cranch, G. A., Grun, J., Zulick, C., Weaver, J., Fournier, K. B., Compton, S., Dunlop, W., Walton, O., Gran, J. K., and Groethe, M. Sat . "Scaled experiments on cavity confined explosions in limestone and poly(methyl methacrylate)". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5109376. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1567999.
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@article{osti_1567999,
title = {Scaled experiments on cavity confined explosions in limestone and poly(methyl methacrylate)},
author = {Cranch, G. A. and Grun, J. and Zulick, C. and Weaver, J. and Fournier, K. B. and Compton, S. and Dunlop, W. and Walton, O. and Gran, J. K. and Groethe, M.},
abstractNote = {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/kt1/3, 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.},
doi = {10.1063/1.5109376},
journal = {Journal of Applied Physics},
number = 12,
volume = 126,
place = {United States},
year = {2019},
month = {9}
}
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Journal Article:
Free Publicly Available Full Text
Publisher's Version of Record
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5109376
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Figures / Tables:

FIG. 1 FIG. 1: Measurement of cavity wall displacement with a fiber optic interferometer. The NIKE laser beams enter the cone from the left. (inset top right) illustration of PMMA block with channels for fiber probes and cavity gas fill valve. Measurements at 3 or 4 different radii are possible depending onmore » the cavity size.« less
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Works referenced in this record:

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    FIG. 1 (p. 6)figure
    TABLE I (p. 6)table
    FIG. 2 (p. 7)figure
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    FIG. 4 (p. 8)figure
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