Determination of BKW Equation of State Parameters via Measurement of the Detonation Velocity in Condensed Explosives

An optical system has been redesigned and used to measure detonation velocity as a function of condensed explosive density for RDX, HMX, PETN. These measurements are then used to determine and fine tune parameters appearing in the BKW (Beker-Kistiakowsky-Wilson) equation of state for gases at extremely high pressures. Steady state form of conservation equations along with the BKW state equation and the Chapman-Jouquer hypothesis are used to determine the detonation velocity and the thermodynamic state of the gas behind the detonation front. An iterative scheme is used to adjust the BKW equation parameters such that the calculated detonation velocities, obtained from the solution of the above set of equations, match the measured values.