Detonation waves in trinitrotoluene

Fabry-Perot, ORVIS, and VISAR laser interferometry are used to obtain nanosecond time resolved particle velocity histories of the free surfaces of copper and tantalum discs accelerated by detonating trinitrotoluene (TNT) charges and of the interfaces between TNT detonation products and lithium fluoride crystals. TNT detonation reaction zone profiles are measured for self-sustaining detonation and piston supported overdriven (supracompressed) waves. The experimental records are compared to particle velocity histories calculated using very finely zoned meshes of the exact dimensions with the DYNA2D hydrodynamic code. The Ignition and Growth reactive flow model, which is based on the Zeldovich-von Neumann-D?ring (ZND) theory of detonation, yields excellent agreement with the experimental records for TNT using an unreacted von Neumann spike pressure of 25 GPa, a reaction rate law which releases 90% of the chemical energy within 80 ns and the remaining 10% over an additional 200 ns, and a reaction product equation of state fit to cylinder test data assuming a Chapman-Jouguet pressure of 19 GPa. The late time energy release is attributed to diffusion controlled solid carbon particle formation. Received 26 July 1997 / Accepted 29 December 1997