Testing of detonation products jets from explosive charges containing tungsten powder

Abstract. Marcin Hara, Waldemar A. Trzciński The effect of the tungsten powder content in the mixture with the explosive (DPX-4) on the effects of cavity cumulative charges on steel barriers was investigated. The barriers were sets consisting of 3 steel plates, each 4 mm thick, and a steel plate 50 mm thick. The size of the hole penetrated in the first plate and the deflection of the second plate were analyzed, as well as the size of the crater formed in the thick plate. X-ray images of the cumulative jets formed after the detonation of cone cavity charges were also taken. Calculated detonation parameters of explosive mixtures with tungsten powder were used to analyze the results obtained. Analysis of the test results showed that the effects of detonation product jets from cone cavity charges pressed from an explosive mixture containing different amounts of tungsten powder on thick steel plates are similar. However, differences in the effects of the impact of the jets of detonation products on the system of thin steel plates are evident on the second plate - the height of depth increases with the content of tungsten powder in the mixture. The presented results can be the basis for further research aimed at designing charges with directed energy intended, for example, for attacking ships with double hulls.