Test-based thermal explosion model for HMX

We present a thermal explosion (cookoff) model for an HMX-based plastic bonded explosive (LX-10). The thermal–chemical–mechanical response of LX-10 is modeled based on the measurements from the scaled thermal explosion experiment (STEX) at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Confined LX-10 is heated at a rate of 1 °C/h until an explosion is observed. The modeled cookoff problem is simulated by the Arbitrarily Lagrangian–Eulerian hydrocode (ALE3D) that can handle a wide spectrum of time scales that vary from a structural to a high speed shock physics time scale. In addition to a comprehensive model for energetic material, the confinement material namely an AerMet 100 steel is modeled as a Steinberg–Guinan material with a Johnson–Cook failure model with a statistical failure distribution. By using the size distribution data from the fragmentation experiment, the metal fracture and fragmentation due to an explosion are modeled. The explosion temperature is predicted to within 1°. Calculated wall strain provides violence associated with the thermal explosion process and agrees favorably with the measured STEX data.