Sympathetic detonation
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A sympathetic detonation (SD, or SYDET), also called flash over or secondary/secondaries (explosion), is a
Definition
A sympathetic detonation is caused by a shock wave, or impact of primary or secondary blast fragments.
The initiating explosive is called the donor explosive, the initiated one is known as the receptor explosive. In case of a chain detonation, a receptor explosive can become a donor one.
The shock sensitivity, also called gap sensitivity, which influences the susceptibility to sympathetic detonations, can be measured by gap tests.
If
Sympathetic detonation presents problems in storage and transport of
Other factors causing unintended detonations are e.g.
A related term is cooking off, setting off an explosive by subjecting it to sustained heat of e.g. a fire or a hot gun barrel. A cooked-off explosive may cause sympathetic detonation of adjacent explosives.
Military
Sympathetic detonations may occur in
To prevent sympathetic detonations, minimal distances (specific for a given type of the mine) have to be maintained between mines when laying a
Spallation of materials after an impact on the opposite side may create fragments capable of causing sympathetic detonations of stored explosives on the opposite side of an armour plate or a concrete wall.[4] Transfer of the shock wave through the wall or armour may also be possible cause of a sympathetic detonation.
Sympathetic detonation can be used for the destruction of unexploded ordnance, improvised explosive devices, land mines, or naval mines by an adjacent bulk charge.
Special
Examples
During the
Sympathetic detonation killed 320 sailors and injured 390 others in the Port Chicago Disaster of July 17, 1944 at the Port Chicago Naval Magazine in Port Chicago, California.[6][7]
During the
The
Multiple incidents have been recorded in the more recent GWoT where airstrikes have set off explosives or ammunition caches in insurgent positions.[8][9][10][11][12]
Civilian
In
The spread of shock waves can be hindered by placing relief holes – drilled holes without explosive charges – between the blastholes.[14]
The opposite phenomenon is dynamic desensitization. Some explosives, e.g. ANFO, show reduced sensitivity under pressure. A transient pressure wave from a nearby detonation may compress the explosive sufficiently to make its initiation fail. This can be prevented by introducing sufficient delays into the firing sequence.[14]
A sympathetic detonation during mine blasting may influence the
See also
References
- ISBN 9780750675550. Retrieved 2015-03-22.
- ISBN 9780748405657. Retrieved 2015-03-22.
- ISBN 9789812706737. Retrieved 2015-03-22.
- ^ "Court of Inquiry Appointed by the Commandant of the Twelfth Naval District To Investigate the Facts Surrounding The Explosion of 17 July 1944, Opinion #54". Port Chicago Naval Magazine: Court of Inquiry. US National Archives, Pacific Sierra Region, Record Group: 181; Subgroup: 12th Naval District Commandant's Office, Series: General Correspondence (Formerly classified) 1946, Box: 7/12; Folder A17.25, Vol. VIII. 1946. Retrieved January 29, 2016.
- ^ Mathis, Rear Admiral Michael G. (November 15, 2004). "Keynote Address 2004 Insensitive Munitions & Energetic Materials Technology Symposium" (PDF). Rear Admiral Michael G. Mathis, Director, Joint Theater and Air Missile Defense Organization, Deputy Director, J-8, Force Protection. Retrieved January 29, 2016.
- CENTCOM. Archived from the originalon 10 February 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
- CENTCOM. Archived from the originalon 3 March 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
- CENTCOM. Archived from the originalon 25 September 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
- ^ "March 29 airpower summary: Tankers refuel 199 aircraft". AF.mil. 31 March 2009. Archived from the original on 24 July 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
- CENTCOM. Archived from the originalon 24 July 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
- ISBN 9789054104414. Retrieved 2015-03-22.
- ^ ISBN 9780419160304. Retrieved 2015-03-22.
- ISBN 9789054101994. Retrieved 2015-03-22.
- ISBN 9783764366759. Retrieved 2015-03-22.