ballistic mortar
The ballistic mortar apparatus is used for testing of relative working ability (power, strength) of explosives.
The equipment is a massive steel mortar enclosed by a heavy steel projectile, suspended from the pendulum axis by a long pendulum arm.
The explosive sample is detonated within the mortar cavity. Under the action of the detonation products, the projectile is fired out of the mortar, whereas due to the counteracting force, the mortar is swung from its position backwards. The maximum swing of the mortar is recorded and it serves as a measure of the explosive power expressed in equivalence to a reference explosive (blasting gelatin, TNT or picric acid).
