| Abstract: | Erythritol tetranitrate (ETN) is a highly sensitive nitrate ester that has a similar molecular structure to nitroglycerine and penta‐erythritol tetranitrate (PETN). In this study, experiments detonating 175 g of ETN were repeated three times to measure blast waves 0.6 m above the ground. TNT and PETN were also tested under the same conditions for comparison. The average peak overpressure of ETN was about 30 kPa at 3 m from the explosion center (5.4 m kg?1/3 scaled distance), which was much higher than that of TNT (about 22 kPa) and similar to PETN. The effects of the reflected wave from the ground appeared at greater distances of 5 and 7 m (8.9 and 12.5 m kg?1/3, respectively), as verified by the waveforms and high‐speed camera images. Previous TNT data for peak overpressure vs. scaled distance were used to calculate the TNT equivalents for the experimental data, which revealed that ETN had a similar value to PETN. The fragments velocities of steel cylinders were measured, and that of ETN (1040 m s?1) was higher than that of TNT (957 m s?1) and lower than that of PETN (1260 m s?1). The Gurney constant for each explosive was obtained by using the initial fragment velocities. |
