Numerical and experimental study of shock-driven cavity collapse

A study is presented of the interaction of a shock wave with gas cavities cast in a hydrogel. Simulations are conducted using a front-tracking approach, whereby Lagrangian hypersurfaces are used to model the interface between materials. These ‘fronts’ are overlaid on an Eulerian grid which is used to model the bulk flow. Results are compared to an experimental investigation, in which a light gas gun is used to create ∼600 MPa shock waves in hydrogel blocks, within which air cavities have been cast. Experimental results are presented, including temporally resolved measurements of light emission. Comparison between experimental and simulated results shows good agreement.