Detonation velocity, detonation pressure, and detonation heat are usually used as a measure of explosive's performance. However, they do not answer the question how fast an explosive can accelerate the surrounding metal liner. A semi‐empirical solution to this problem was proposed by R. W. Gurney in 1943. In this paper we used thermochemical calculations to calculate energy of detonation products along the expansion isentrope and to estimate the Gurney energy and cylinder wall velocity from it. It was found that for the same degree of the products expansion, experimentally determined Gurney energy is systematically less than calculated detonation energy due to the energy losses. At about threefold expansion of the products, the detonation energy matches very well with an experimental Gurney energy.

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Shaped charges are widely used in many different fields. The two main users of shaped charges are the military, where shaped charges are used as a weapon against armoured targets, and the oil industry, to perforate wells. Very often, shaped charges are the subject of scientific research focused on optimising shaped charge parameters and increasing the efficiency of shaped charges. Considering a significant number of parameters affecting the penetration depth, the optimization of shaped charge parameters is a complex process. This paper describes research on the efficiency of small handmade shaped charges. In this research, two methods are used, the first one involves simulations with numerical software and the second one is site testing. AUTODYN software was used for the numerical simulations. One of the simulations was focused on the shape and velocity of the shaped charge jet and the second on the penetration of the jet into the target material. On-site efficiency of shaped charges at different standoff distances was tested. The experimental result was compared with the AUTODYN simulation result for hand-made shaped charges placed at a distance of 90 mm from the target material. The results of the simulations agree very well with the results of the site tests. Some advantages and disadvantages of each approach are also observed.

ANFO is the most common explosive for civil use in the fields of mining and civil engineering. Some properties of ANFO, like poor water resistance, low density and low velocity of detonation can be improved by mixing ANFO with a certain percentage of an emulsion. These explosives are called Heavy ANFO blends. This paper presents a study of the influence of a primer on the velocity of detonation of ANFO and Heavy ANFO blends. Three types of primers were used for the initiation of the explosives and the velocity of detonation was measured in situ by a continuous method. Based on the results of these measurements, the relationship between the detonation velocity of the primer used and the detonation velocity of the primed explosive were established.

The detonation properties of nonideal explosives are highly dependent on charge diameter and existence and properties of confinement. In this study, the effect of different confinements on the detonation velocity of ANFO explosives was experimentally determined along with the results of the plate dent test. ANFO explosive was selected as one of the most commonly used nonideal explosives. Following the measurement results, we found that the detonation velocity increased with increasing wall thickness, and the velocity increase was different for different confinement materials. A strong correlation existed between the ratio of the mass of confiner and explosive (M/C) and the detonation velocity (R = 0.995), and between (M/C) and the depth of the dent (δ) (R = 0.975). The data presented in this paper represent preliminary findings in developing a confinement model required for reliable numerical modeling of nonideal explosives.

A hundred years ago (in 1921) Becker proposed an equation of state in which the repulsive term in van der Waals equation of state was replaced by an exponential function. Twenty years later, Kistiakowsky and Wilson modified Becker's equation and used it to calculate the detonation properties of nitroglycerine and mercury fulminate. The resulting equation of state, commonly called the BKW equation of state, is attributed to Becker, Kistiakowsky, and Wilson. Although it was not founded on a strict theoretical background, the BKW equation of state has been widely adopted in thermochemical codes to predict the detonation properties of explosives. Throughout the years, the accuracy of BKW has been significantly improved through proper calibration of the BKW constants and covolumes. This paper presents the concept of temperature-dependent covolumes of polar molecules (H 2 O and NH 3 ) as a way to improve the accuracy of prediction of detonation properties of explosives, especially those explosives producing larger amounts of H 2 O and NH 3 . It was demonstrated that temperature-dependent covolumes describe more accurately experimental shock Hugoniots of polar molecules than constant covolumes, and the accuracy of prediction of detonation properties of HNO types of explosives is greatly improved.

Theoretical prediction of performance indicators of explosives plays an important role in the development of new explosives and explosive formulations. Of particular interest is the possibility to estimate the velocity of metal liner driven by an explosive charge. We present a theoretical model for estimation of metal cylinder wall velocity profiles of non‐ideal ANFO explosives. The model is based on thermochemical calculations using EXPLO5 code, expressing the Gurney energy in terms of JWL equation of state, and using hydro‐code simulation. The Wood‐Kirkwood detonation theory, incorporated in EXPLO5, is applied for calculation of detonation parameters of non‐ideal ANFO explosives. It was found that this approach enables prediction of cylinder wall velocity for ANFO explosives, with the error at V/V0=7 expansion ratio not exceeding 100 m/s.

The use of an explosive's energy during blasting includes undesired eff ects on the environment. The seismic infl uence of a blast, as a major undesired eff ect, is determined by many national standards, recommendations and calculations where the main parameter is ground oscillation velocity at the fi eld measurement location. There are a few approaches and methods for calculation of expected ground oscillation velocities according to charge weight per delay and the distance from the blast to the point of interest. Utilizations of these methods and formulas do not provide satisfactory results, thus the measured values on diverse distance from the blast fi eld more or less diff er from values given by previous calculations. Since blasting works are executed in diverse geological conditions, the aim of this research is the development of a practical and reliable approach which will give a diff erent model for each construction site where blasting works have been or will be executed. The approach is based on a greater number of measuring points in line from the blast fi eld at predetermined distances. This new approach has been compared with other generally used methods and formulas through the use of measurements taken during research along with measurements from several previously executed projects. The results confi rmed that the suggested model gives more accurate values. KeywordsSeismic infl uence of blasting, ground oscillation velocity, charge weight per delay.