Experimental determination of detonation velocity

For the experimental determination of detonation parameters (such as detonation velocity, detonation pressure, detonation products mass velocity, detonation temperature, etc.) of an explosive, various dynamic methods, based on different physical principles, are applied. For this purpose, various experimental methods, as well as testing apparatuses and procedures, are used. At the same time, due to unusual (extreme) values of detonation parameters (detonation velocity reaches 10 mm/μs, detonation pressure up to 400 kbar, detonation temperature ranges from 2000 to 5000 K, duration time of the chemical reactions in the reaction zone is of the order of microseconds, and the width of the chemical reaction zone ranges from tenths of a micrometer to several millimetres), it is very difficult to achieve an entirely reliable experimental determination of some detonation parameters. Detonation velocity is one of the most important parameters of an explosive, which nowadays can be measured very accurately. Its measurement is based on the application of some detonation wave properties and various ultrafast signal recording techniques. This paper summarises research work done in this field.