Detonation velocity

Detonation velocity, also known as velocity of detonation (VoD) or explosive velocity, is the velocity at which the shock wave front travels through a detonated explosive.

General

Explosive velocity is increased with smaller particle size (i.e. increased spatial density), increased charge diameter, and increased confinement (i.e. higher pressure). Detonation velocities depend on the explosive material's phase: in gases it ranges from 1800 m/s to 3000 m/s, while in solid explosives between 4000 m/s to 10300 m/s.

Relative effectiveness factor (R.E. factor) is a measurement of an explosive's power. It measures the detonating velocity relative to that of TNT, which has an R.E. factor of 1.00.

Explosive velocities are always faster than the local speed of sound in the material.

Table of explosive detonation velocities

Explosive material	Abbreviation	Formula	Classification	Phase	Density (kg/m3)	Detonation velocity (m/s)	R.E. factor
1,1-Diamino-2,2-dinitroethene	DADNE/FOX-7	C2H4N4O4	Aliphatic	Solid	1,760	8,335	1.60
1,3,5-Triazido-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene	TNTAZB/TATNB	C6N12O6	Aromatic	Solid	1,710	7,300
1,3,5-Trinitrobenzene	TNB	C6H3N3O6	Aromatic	Solid	1,600	7,450
4,4'-Dinitro-3,3'-diazenofuroxan	DDF	C4N8O8	Aromatic	Solid	2,020	10,000	1.95
Acetone peroxide	TATP/TCAP	(C2H6O2)n	Aliphatic	Solid	1.18	5,300	0.83
Ammonium nitrate	AN	NH4NO3	Inorganic	Solid	1,730	2,700	0.42
Ammonium picrate		C6H6N4O7	Aromatic	Solid	1,600	7,150
Ammonium nitrate fuel oil	ANFO	94% AN + 6% fuel oil	Inorganic	Solid	1,300	5,270	0.74
Cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine	HMX	C4H8N8O8	Aliphatic	Solid	1,910	9,400	1.70
Cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine	RDX	C3H6N6O6	Aliphatic	Solid	1,760	8,750	1.60
Diazodinitrophenol	DDNP	C6H2N4O5	Aromatic	Solid	1,630	7,100
Ednatol		58% EDNA + 42% TNT	Aliphatic/Aromatic	Solid	1,620	7,400
Erythritol tetranitrate	ETN	C4H6N4O12	Aliphatic	Solid	1,600	8,100	1.60
Ethyl picrate		C8H7N3O7	Aromatic	Solid	1,550	6,500
Ethylene glycol dinitrate	EGDN	C2H4N2O6	Aliphatic	Liquid	1,491.8	8,300	1.66
Ethylenedinitramine	EDNA	C2H6N4O4	Aliphatic		1,650	7,570
Hexamethylene triperoxide diamine	HMTD	C6H12N2O6	Aliphatic	Solid	880	4,520	0.74
Hexanitrodiphenylamine	HND	C12H5N7O12	Aliphatic	Solid	1,640	7,100
Hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane	CL-20/HNIW	C6H6N12O12	Aliphatic	Solid	2,040	9,500	1.80
Lead(II) azide		Pb(N3)2	Inorganic	Solid	3,000	5,180
Mannitol hexanitrate	MHN	C6H8N6O18	Aliphatic	Solid	1,730	8,260	1.70
Mercury(II) fulminate		HgC2N2O2	Inorganic	Solid	4,420	4,250	0.74
Methyl ethyl ketone peroxide	MEKP	C8H18O6	Aliphatic	Solid	1,170	5,200
Methyl nitrate		CH3NO3	Aliphatic	Liquid	1,203	6,300
Methyl picrate		C7H5N3O7	Aromatic	Solid	1,570	6,800
Nickel hydrazine nitrate	NHN	NH12N8O6	Inorganic	Solid	1,700	7,000
Nitrocellulose	NC	(C6H9-x(NO2)xO7)n	Aliphatic	Solid	1,200	7,300	1.10
Nitroglycerin	NG	C3H5N3O6	Aliphatic	Liquid	1,540	8,100	1.54
Nitroguanidine	NGdn/NQ	CH4N4O2	Aliphatic	Solid	1,700	8,200	1.00
Octanitrocubane	ONC	C8N8O16	Aliphatic	Solid	2,000	10,100	2.38
Pentaerythritol tetranitrate	PETN	C5H8N4O12	Aliphatic	Solid	1,770	8,400	1.66
Picric acid	TNP	C6H3N3O7	Aromatic	Solid	1,700	7,350	1.20
Picryl chloride	TNCB	C6H2ClN3O6	Aromatic	Solid	1,740	7,200
Silver azide		AgN3	Inorganic	Solid	4,420	4,000
Tetranitroglycoluril	TNGU	C4H10N8O10	Aliphatic	Solid	1950	9,150
Tetryl		C7H5N5O8	Aromatic	Solid	1,710	7,570	1.25
Triaminotrinitrobenzene	TATB	C6H6N6O6	Aromatic	Solid	1,800	7,350	1.17
Trinitroaniline	TNA	C6H4N4O6	Aromatic	Solid	1,720	7,300
Trinitrocresol	TNC	C7H5N3O7	Aromatic	Solid	1,620	6,850
Trinitrotoluene	TNT	C7H5N3O6	Aromatic	Solid	1,654	6900	1.00
Urea nitrate	UN	CH5N3O4	Aliphatic	Solid	1,690	4700

See also

• Oxygen balance
• Relative effectiveness factor

References

Relevant Sciencemadness threads

• Detonation Velocity of organic explosive cannot exceed 11 Km/s
• How to predict the detonation velocity of explosives comprised the Phosphorus elements?