Characterization of a large caliber explosively driven shock tube

Research on evaluating weapon systems, building structures, and personnel protection has attracted considerable attention due to the high incidence of blast accidents. The explosively driven shock tube is an affordable and replicable method for investigating high pressure blast waves and extreme shock environments. A newly constructed large caliber explosively driven shock tube with an inner diameter of 2.5 m and a length of 18 m has been documented and characterized in this paper. It is capable of providing a peak pressure of at least 5.49 MPa in the test section with 160 kg of TNT charges. The tube can produce an overpressure that is significantly higher than conventional shock tubes, which expands the capability to simulate a high overpressure blast load. A two-dimensional axisymmetric simulation model has been developed, validated, and calibrated for the characterization of the flow field inside the shock tube. The influence of the charge mass on the overpressure, arrival time, and positive impulse was discussed, and the planarity of the shock wave was also quantitatively characterized. To aid in designing further shock experiments and applications, a physics-based prediction model was developed using the dimensional analysis.