Low-velocity impact ignition of thin metal-cased charges of PBX 9501

Accident scenarios involving explosives workers handling cased charges can result in low-velocity impact insults. A series of experiments was performed with 1mm thick metal plates encasing 25.4mm x 25.4mm cylindrical charges of PBX 9501. Penetrating events at velocities as low as 1.5 m/s were demonstrated to result in ignition and propagating violent deflagration. Variations in tip geometry and case material were explored. The mechanism of heat localization is shown to be frictional interaction between the penetrating tip and the case material.