Research on the influences of confining pressure and strain rate on NEPE propellant: Experimental assessment and constitutive model

In order to study the influences of confining pressure and strain rate on the mechanical properties of the Nitrate Ester Plasticized Polyether (NEPE) propellant, uniaxial tensile tests were conducted using the self-made confining pressure system and material testing machine. The stress-strain responses of the NEPE propellant under different confining pressure conditions and strain rates were obtained and analyzed. The results show that confining pressure and strain rate have a remarkably influence on the mechanical responses of the NEPE propellant. As confining pressure increases (from 0 to 5.4 MPa), the maximum tensile stress and ultimate strain increase gradually. With the coupled effects of confining pressure and strain rate, the value of the maximum tensile stress and ultimate strain at 5.4 MPa and 0.0667 s⁻¹ is 2.03 times and 2.19 times of their values under 0 MPa and 0.00333 s⁻¹, respectively. Afterwards, the influence mechanism of confining pressure on the NEPE propellant was analyzed. Finally, based on the viscoelastic theory and continuous damage theory, a nonlinear constitutive model considering confining pressure and strain rate was developed. The damage was considered to be rate-dependent and pressure-dependent. The constitutive model was validated by comparing experimental data with predictions of the constitutive model. The whole maximum stress errors of the model predictions are lower than 4% and the corresponding strain errors are lower than 7%. The results show that confining pressure can suppress the damage initiation and evolution of the NEPE propellant and the nonlinear constitutive model can describe the mechanical responses of the NEPE propellant under various confining pressure conditions and strain rates. This research can lay a theoretical foundation for analyzing the structural integrity of propellant grain accurately under working pressure loading.