Research on the Chamber Pressure Test Method of Small Caliber Weapons Based on a Double-Layer and Double-Grid Structure Strain Tester

Chamber pressure test remains to be a difficult problem in the field of internal ballistics. Therefore, a new chamber pressure test method based on a double-layer and double-grid structure strain tester was proposed to test the chamber pressure for the small caliber weapons. The method has a simple design structure compared with the traditional chamber pressure test method. This method can also obtain the entire pressure test curve without destroying the barrel structure. Furthermore, the novel method has a high test accuracy with low cost, high reliability with long life, and good electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). The core idea was to test the strain on the outer wall of the barrel through the double-layer and double-grid strain tester, thereby calculating the chamber pressure according to thick-walled cylinder theory. First, the mechanism of this new test method was analyzed, and the fourth-order Runge-Kutta algorithm was used to establish a simulation model of the chamber pressure. Second, the sensitivity of the strain tester was obtained by calibrating the strain test system. The test method was compared with the lead wire electronic manometer test and the simulation modeling methods. The test curve was consistent with the lead wire electronic manometer test and the simulation curves, verifying the test accuracy and feasibility of the method. Finally, the simulations and experiments validated that the new test method had good EMC.