THE USE OF THE ITRAC TEST TO CHARACTERISE MAIN CHARGE MATERIALS.

The Initiation Train Characterisation (ITraC) test was designed to provide a small scale, flexible capability to characterise both candidate explosive formulations and to study initiation train design configurations. The test uses an RP-80 detonator to initiate an unconfined 1" diameter cylindrical explosive pellet or stack of such pellets. The modular nature of the test allows it to be used to characterise the run to detonation, velocity of detonation, wave curvature and output pressure of an explosive material. The test uses fibre optic time of arrival probes to monitor the detonation breakout at a range of locations around the initiation train; however, its design allows other diagnostics to be used in parallel including framing/streak cameras and velocimetric techniques. This paper describes work done to characterise the performance properties of explosive formulations considered suitable for main charge applications. TATB based PBX formulations have been tested for performance, the effect of gaps and the effect of pressing technique (die pressed verses isostatic). Detonation velocities, output curvatures, output pressures deduced using laser velocimetry and relative sensitivities have been acquired for 95/5% TATB/Fluoropolymer compositions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]