Burning Crack Networks and Combustion Bootstrapping in Cookoff Explosions

摘要

Burning crack networks can play an important role in cookoff explosions of the HMX-based explosive PBX 9501. Combustion within cracks can potentially spread to connected porosity, which is believed to develop in the heated explosive. The burning surface area would thereby increase, causing a more violent outcome. I develop an analytic model that seeks to capture the essential physical mechanisms controlling how such a scenario runs away. The calibrated model behavior is consistent with Ref. 1 tests.