DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for Public Release.
DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for Public Release.
Investigation of the Hugh James Criteria Using Estimated Parameters
Justin C. Sweitzer
*
, Nicholas R. Peterson
2
, and
Nausheen Al-Shehab
3
ABSTRACT:
The ability to predict the response of an energetic device to IM stimulus is one of the major focus areas
within the IM community. Several methodologies have been proposed and used for this purpose,
including direct calculation via reactive burn models, analytic criteria such as Held’s V
2
D criteria, and semi-
empirical techniques such as the Hugh James criteria. A method was recently presented that leverages
the James criteria with estimated parameters combined with the ALE3D hydrocode and statistical models
to predict reaction threshold. In this paper, this methodology is examined in detail by applying it to a well-
characterized explosive.
The basis for the methodology is in threshold statistics, as detailed by Hrousis, et al. Energetic materials
are often characterized in terms of ’50% go/no-go’ thresholds, underscoring the inherent variability in
material response. These concepts were initially applied to an explosive for which James parameters were
not readily available (LX-14), but a large body of Fragment Impact (FI) test data was. Values for the missing
parameters were ‘guessed’ by substituting parameters from a similar explosive. The initiation threshold
was developed by applying the ‘guess’ parameters to the existing data, and extrapolated forward through
a Binary Logistic Regression (BLR) model.
To test this methodology, the UF-TATB parameters from Hrousis, et al, were used in place of test data.
The mean and variance of the ignition threshold were calculated using the QMU method and applied to a
BLR model. Model variations were then simulated to test the predictive capability of the method.
1
Practical Energetics Research, Inc.
2
U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center
3
U.S. Army Armaments Research, Development, and Engineering Center
* Corresponding Author, (1) 256-867-1222, justin.sweitzer@per-hq.com
