Imitation of the Explosion Effects in a Shock Tube with a Focusing Element.

The results of the experiments performed in a cylindrical shock tube (ST) equipped with a focusing element in the form of a truncated cone at the end are analyzed. It is found that the maximum pressure at the top of the cone is greater by several factors than the pressure when the shock wave is reflected from a flat wall. Close agreement is obtained between the measured pressure profiles and the results of numerical simulation of shock wave focusing using the GasDynamicsTool (GDT) package in a three-dimensional formulation. It is shown that the dependence of pressure on time during focusing is similar to that observed in the case of a normal reflection of a shock wave generated by an explosion of a trinitrotoluene (TNT) charge. The results obtained and the developed technique make it possible to imitate the high-explosive action of an explosion without the use of condensed explosives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]