Dynamic calibration of shock overpressure transducers

Piezoelectric transducers for dynamic overpressure measurements are commonly calibrated with static or quasistatic loads and the calibration is extrapolated to frequencies up to 30% of the resonant frequency of the piezoelectric crystal. Sinusoidal pressure generators are also used for dynamic calibration up to 500 Hz in the range of 3 MPa. This paper describes a method for dynamic calibration using transient overpressures, with rise time of 2 µsec and width 40 µsec, generated by exploding wires in air. The calibration is done in the range of 600 kPa.