Characterisation and fragmentation of brass and copper pipe bombs when using different initiation locations

The fragmentation characteristics of pipe bombs made from copper and brass, filled with a single base propellant, and initiated with an electric match positioned either at the end or halfway along the pipe were studied. A rig was devised to negate any variation from the effectiveness of end caps. Fragments were captured in strawboard packs and recovered to enable imaging and Fragment Weight Distribution Mapping (FWDM) graphs. The position of the initiator had a measurable effect on the fragmentation of the copper pipe, with the middle-initiated pipes having a higher relative power. In contrast, no such clear link was evident for the brass pipes. This likely indicates that the initiator location has less of an effect in stronger materials which are able to confine the propellant prior to rupturing.