Abstract
A fuze detonator comprising star shells is an important device so that its failure usually leads to failure of the shells. In this paper, accelerated degradation tests of RD1333 (lead azide) using temperature stress were performed, and then degradation data of explosive power for the detonator were analyzed to predict the storage lifetime of detonator. Degradation data analysis to estimate the storage lifetime is based on a distribution-based degradation process. Statistical distribution parameters of explosive power degradation measures at each time were estimated for each temperature level, and then reliability of the detonator for each accelerated temperature level was estimated using both time-varying distribution parameters and critical level of explosive power. Arrhenius model was applied to estimate storage lifetime of the detonator under the field temperature condition. Accelerated distribution-based degradation analysis to estimate storage lifetime is explained in detail, and estimation results are compared to field data of storage lifetime in this paper.
