OneEyedPyro - 19-7-2018 at 22:46
I've been wondering this for years.
Every once in a while I glance over the RE factor list on Wikipedia and I'm curious about how they came up with these numbers.
PETN and EGDN are listed as having a higher RE than RDX but I believe RDX is more brisant than either, does it have to do with other factors?
According to that list black powder rates at .50 RE when dinitrobenzene (a true HE) only rates at .60, how can something like black powder even be
compared to an HE in any meaningful way?
It's not as if BP could be used interchangeably with DNB in virtually any application by just adjusting the quantity.
Herr Haber - 20-7-2018 at 02:52
Out of the top of my head (but you can find this in Urbanski for sure) RE is calculated upon the lead block expansion where TNT = 1
I had a similar train of thoughts some months ago about that list.
OneEyedPyro - 20-7-2018 at 13:18
Wouldn't lead block test results hinge entirely on brisance though?
I suppose since the charges are compared by weight then some of the lower density explosives like EGDN would have an advantage while more dense
explosives like TATB would be at a disadvantage.
I think comparing by volume would probably give a more true idea of an explosives power.