FRAGMENT-DISPERSION CHARACTERISTICS OF UNCOUPLED FRAGMENT ASSEMBLY UNDER INTERNAL EXPLOSIVE LOADING

The fragment assembly of conventional fragment warheads is often in a reasonable matching state with the charged explosive but cannot meet the needs of innovative warhead designs. Therefore, the concept of uncoupled fragment assembly is proposed and examined in this study to further improve the control over the fragment-dispersion characteristics of fragment warheads. A typical warhead with fragment assembly was designed, with the fragment-dispersion characteristics of the warhead experimentally obtained using X-ray radiography technology and witness target test technology. The flying direction of the fragments was found to be similar to the normal direction of the fragment assembly, with the fragment-dispersion density significantly improved in one direction. In addition, a numerical model based on the Coupled Euler–Lagrange method was established to analyse the mechanism beneath the directional fragment dispersion. The findings could serve as a solid foundation for the engineering design of innovative fragment warheads.