A 50 mm bore gas gun for dynamic loading of materials and structures

This paper documents the design and construction of a 50 mm bore laboratory gas gun capable of velocities up to 1500 m s−1. The facility is designed using performance calculations using the analytical interior ballistics model of Pidduck and Kent (Seigel 1965 National Technical Information Service, AD475 660). The gun is constructed for two opposing classes of experiment. One of these geometries is that of plate impact, in which the loading is in one-dimensional strain, accomplished by impacting plane impactors onto targets aligned to micron tolerances, precisely normal to the impact axis. A second is multidimensional loading including the impact and recovery of specimens after soft recovery in catching systems. The system is capable of containing reactive targets when design must allow complete detonation of the target (up to 250 g). This has been accomplished and the system approved for use by the appropriate authorities. An example of the development of a multi-element particle and shock velocity measurement system is included to illustrate the new measurement systems in place.

[1]  James L. Austing,et al.  Carbon resistor gauges for measuring shock and detonation pressures. I : Principles of functioning and calibration , 1991 .

[2]  K. Subbaswamy,et al.  Instability of nontopological solitons of coupled scalar field theories in two dimensions , 1980 .

[3]  Dynamic uniaxial stress experiments on alumina with in‐material Manganin gauges , 1985 .

[4]  Z. Rosenberg,et al.  Calibration of commercial manganin stress gauges under static uniaxial strain conditions , 1983 .

[5]  R. Graham,et al.  Shock compression of solids , 1979 .

[6]  Piezoresistance Response of Manganin Foils: Experiments and Analysis , 1986 .

[7]  Satish C. Gupta,et al.  Incorporation of strain hardening in piezoresistance analysis: Application to ytterbium foils in a PMMA matrix , 1987 .

[8]  Y. Partom,et al.  Calibration of foil‐like manganin gauges in planar shock wave experiments , 1980 .

[9]  L. M. Barker,et al.  Correction to the velocity‐per‐fringe relationship for the VISAR interferometer , 1974 .

[10]  D. Grady,et al.  Piezoresistive effects in ytterbium stress transducers , 1977 .

[11]  L. M. Barker,et al.  Shock‐Wave Studies of PMMA, Fused Silica, and Sapphire , 1970 .

[12]  Zvi Rosenberg,et al.  The piezoresistance of constantan strain gauges under shock loading conditions , 1998 .

[13]  T. Bajzek,et al.  Carbon resistor gauges for measuring shock and detonation pressures. III. Revised calibration data and relationships , 1995 .

[14]  Y. Partom,et al.  Release wave calibration of manganin gauges , 1980 .

[15]  D. Wallace,et al.  Irreversible thermodynamics of flow in solids , 1980 .

[16]  The pressure dependence of the yield strength of shock‐loaded Manganin gauges , 1985 .

[17]  D. Wallace.  Flow process of weak shocks in solids , 1980 .

[18]  D. Wallace,et al.  Equation of state from weak shocks in solids , 1980 .

[19]  Satish C. Gupta,et al.  Piezoresistance response of longitudinally and laterally oriented ytterbium foils subjected to impact and quasi‐static loading , 1985 .

[20]  L. M. Barker,et al.  Laser interferometer for measuring high velocities of any reflecting surface , 1972 .

[21]  N. Bourne,et al.  A gas gun for plane and shear loading of inert and explosive targets , 2001 .

[22]  Y. Gupta.  Analysis of manganin and ytterbium gauge data under shock loading , 1983 .

[23]  R. Clifton,et al.  A star‐shaped flyer for plate‐impact recovery experiments , 1977 .

[24]  N. S. Brar,et al.  Piezoresistance response of ytterbium foil gauges shocked to 45 kbar in fused silica matrix , 1987 .