Publications

Design basis of an impulsively loaded vessel for specific loading configurations

Yip, Mien Y.; Haroldsen, Brent L.

For an impulsively loaded containment vessel, such as the Sandia Explosive Destruction System (EDS), the traditional notion of a single-value explosive rating may not be sufficient to qualify the vessel for many real-life loading situations, such as those involving multiple munitions placed in various geometric configurations. Other significant factors, including detonation timing, geometry of explosive(s), and standoff distances, need to be considered for a more accurate assessment of the vessel integrity. It is obvious that the vessel structural response from an explosive charge detonated at the geometric center of the vessel will be very different from the structural response from the same explosive charge detonated next to the vessel wall. It is, however, less obvious that the same explosive can produce vastly different vessel response if it is detonated at one end versus at the middle versus from both ends. The goal of this paper is to identify some of the effects that non-trivial loading situations have on the vessel structural integrity. The metric for determining vessel integrity is based on Code Case 2564 of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. Based on the findings of this work, it may be necessary to qualify impulsively loaded containment vessels for specific explosive configurations, which should include the quantity, geometry and location of the explosives, as well as the detonation points. Copyright © 2013 by ASME.