Brisance (Shattering Power)
Definition
The localised shattering effect of a detonation shock wave, measured by the Trauzl lead block test or the sand-crush test. RDX and HMX have higher brisance than TNT despite lower detonation temperatures, because their higher detonation velocities produce sharper shock fronts.
Related terms
- C-4
- US military standard plastic explosive containing approximately 91% RDX in a di(2-ethylhexyl)sebacate and polyisobutylene binder. White, odourless, malleable. Detonation velocity 8,050 m/s....
- Composition B (Comp B)
- A secondary high explosive formulation of 60% RDX and 40% TNT by mass, melt-cast from the TNT matrix. Used in artillery shells,...
- Detonating Cord (Det Cord)
- A flexible tube containing a PETN explosive core at a standard linear charge density (3.6 g/m for No. 2 cord). Propagates detonation...
- DMDNB
- 2,3-Dimethyl-2,3-dinitrobutane, the primary detection taggant mandated by the 1991 ICAO Convention on the Marking of Plastic Explosives. Required at 0.1% by mass...
- GC-ECD
- Gas chromatography with electron capture detection. Achieves 1-10 picogram detection limits for nitroaromatic (TNT, DNT) and nitramine (RDX, HMX, PETN) explosives. Cannot...
- ICAO Montreal Protocol on Plastic Explosives (1991)
- The Convention on the Marking of Plastic Explosives for the Purpose of Detection, adopted by ICAO following the Lockerbie and UTA bombings....
- LC-MS/MS (Negative ESI)
- Liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry in negative-ion electrospray ionisation mode. Confirmatory method for all conventional secondary explosives and the primary method...
- Oxygen Balance
- A percentage expressing the surplus or deficit of oxygen in an explosive molecule relative to stoichiometric complete oxidation of carbon to CO2...
- Semtex H
- A plastic explosive manufactured by Explosia a.s. (Czech Republic) containing approximately 41% PETN and 41% RDX in a styrene-butadiene rubber binder. Identified...
Explained in
- Conventional High Explosives: TNT, RDX, PETN, HMX, Composition B, C-4 and SemtexThe localised shattering effect of a detonation shock wave, measured by the Trauzl lead block test or the sand-crush test. RDX and HMX have higher brisance tha...