The Effect of High Mechanical Stress on Certain Solid Explosives

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Eleven different solid explosives have been subjected at room temperature to stresses of the order of those which prevail in the detonating front. Two types of stress were applied. The first consisted of a hydrostatic pressure of 50,000 kg/cm2, on which was superposed a shearing stress sufficient to produce shearing deformations of the order of 60 radians. The second type consisted of a hydrostatic pressure of 100,000 kg/cm2, with a comparatively small superposed shearing deformation. Seven of the eleven explosives survived stress of the first type without detonation. Only four of the explosives were subjected to the second type of stress; three of these survived without detonation. It is probable that in those cases where detonation occurred secondary effects were responsible, such as striking of sparks by fractured fragments of steel. The general conclusion is drawn that stresses of these magnitudes, without the cooperation of high temperature, cannot be counted on to produce detonation. Incidentally it was found that yellow ammonium picrate is transformed irreversibly to the red form by the first type of stress. Values were obtained for the plastic flow stress as a function of hydrostatic pressure. The strength increases approximately linearly with pressure.

This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit: