1 THE SCALED THERMAL EXPLOSION EXPERIMENT

We have developed the Scaled Thermal Explosion Experiment (STEX) to provide a database of reaction violence from thermal explosion for explosives of interest. Such data are needed to develop, calibrate, and validate predictive capability for thermal explosions using simulation computer codes. A cylinder of explosive 25, 50 or 100 mm in diameter, is confined in a steel cylinder with heavy end caps, and heated under controlled conditions until reaction. Reaction violence is quantified through non-contact micro-power impulse radar measurements of the cylinder wall velocity and by strain gauge data at reaction on-set. Here we describe the test concept, design and diagnostic recording, and report results with HMX-and RDX-based energetic materials