The present report represents a contributing effort to the continuous MSIAC watch on mitigation technologies for munitions systems against IM threats and safety hazards.
This document is to serve as a background resource for the broad array of interactions that electromagnetic radiation may have with energetic materials. The ranges of interest are microwave radiation and terahertz (THz) radiation.
This report aims to review the traditional processes for the manufacture of explosives and propellants. Depending on the binder percentage, explosives can be pressed, extruded or casted. On the other hand, propellants can only be extruded or casted.
When dealing with energetic materials, TNT equivalency is commonly used for different purposes. For scientific purposes, it is a means to compare the explosive effects delivered by different energetic compositions, by expressing them in terms of an equivalent TNT detonation.
Christelle Collet (TSO Propulsion Technology)Dr Kevin Jaansalu (TSO Materials Technology)Dr Ernest L. Baker (TSO Warhead Technology)Martijn van der Voort (TSO Munition Transport and Storage Safety)
Blast effects are part of the performance characteristics of explosive materials, usually in comparison with reference explosives like TNT. Especially for sub-detonative events, blast effects are hardly predictable without complex numerical simulations.
Lucas CAYLAR (ENSTA BRETAGNE, MSIAC)Christelle COLLET (MSIAC)Martijn van der Voort (MSIAC)
MSIAC maintains a Hazard Classification (HC) database for Ammunition and Explosives (AE) with 16 contributing nations. Governmental personnel from MSIAC member nations are able to access the data through the MSIAC secure website.
Martijn VAN DER VOORTChristelle COLLETMatthew FERRAN
The main characteristics required for plastic explosives are that they are hand-mouldable and that they stick to surfaces on which they are designed to be used.
