Brisance
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Brisance is a quantitative measure of the shattering power of explosives. Simply, it is the rate at which the explosive develops its maximum detonation velocity. With some exceptions, brisance increases with increased detonation velocity.[1]
Brisance is expressed with respect to TNT, which has a brisance of 1.00.
It is related to, but different than, explosive power. Think of explosive power as the ability to push, while brisance is the ability to shatter. Maximizing the brisance is critical for applications such as steel cutting or armor piercing, where maximixing the explosive power is important for uses such as earthmoving and road cratering.
| Explosive | Brisance |
|---|---|
| Dextrinated lead azide | 0.40 |
| TNT | 1.00 |
| PETN | 1.27-1.41 depending on density |
| Composition C-4 | 1.34 |
References
- ↑ Military Explosives, U.S. Department of the Army, September 1984, TM 9-1300-214, p. 3-4