Fragment velocity measurement under explosive loading using pulsed X-ray radiography with a fragment filtering baffle

The fragmentation of metal shells under internal explosive loading is critical in defense and safety engineering. Fragment velocity is a critical parameter for evaluating the energy output. However, conventional high-speed pulsed X-ray radiography measurement technology faces significant limitations in measuring fragment velocity and direction simultaneously. This paper proposes a fragment velocity measurement method using a fragment filtering baffle, which enables the measurement of the fragment velocity at any typical cross-section along the charge axis by blocking other fragments. The fragment filtering baffle is designed based on numerical simulation and then verified by high-speed pulsed X-ray experiments. The numerical results show that when the charge aspect ratio is not less than 2 and the fragment filtering baffle radius is three times the charge radius, neither the rarefaction wave nor the fragment filtering baffle affects the fragment velocity. The method is verified by high–speed pulsed X–ray experiments on a cylindrical charge under eccentric initiation. The results agree well with simulations, with an average velocity error of 7.26 %. This method enables precise fragment velocity measurement for typical and specially shaped charge structures.