The Effect of Radial Confinement of Explosive on the Impulse delivered to an explosively driven circular plate

The effect of radial confinement of explosive on the impulse delivered to an explosively driven circular plate was investigated numerically. The results are applicable to the design of explosively formed penetrators. Aluminum radial confinement and additional radial explosive were investigated as means of increasing the impulse delivered to the plate. The radial thicknesses were varied from 0% to 10% of the explosive charge diameter with copper plates having thicknesses of 2%, 5% and 8% of the explosive charge diameter. Results show the use of radial confinement to be more effective with thicker plates. The increase in impulse provided by aluminum confinement was as great as 18% with an 8% charge diameter thick plate, compared to 12% with a 2% charge diameter thick plate. Regardless of the plate thickness, additional radial explosive can be more effective than aluminum radial confinement in increasing the impulse. For example a 10% charge diameter thickness of explosive increases the impulse by up to 28%, compared to 18% for the same thickness of aluminum. The results do not exhibit dependence on the method of detonation, nor on the length of the explosive charge.