Role of Shear Instability in Ballistic Penetration
Abstract
The objective of this paper is to illustrate the role of adiabatic shear bands in penetration mechanics and to describe an experimental technique by means of which conditions for the incipient nucleation and subsequent growth of such localized bands may be determined. There is abundant experimental evidence to indicate that ballistic results are strongly influenced by the mechanical properties of the materials involved. Following a discussion of the role played by adiabatic shear phenomena in ballistic penetration, an experimental procedure is outlined for obtaining quantitive characteristics for specific materials. A computer simulation of the experimental procedure incorporated work-hardening and thermal softening effects and is shown to reproduce experiments in which adiabatic shear bands form, as well as several in which they do not occur. From such supplementary simulations, numerical values for important mechanical properties can be extracted for further application. Keywords: Plastic instability; Ballistic penetration; Thermal softening; Work hardening; Projectiles; Armor penetration/cratering; Steel targets; Shock waves; Hydrodynamic codes; Long rod penetrators.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA219186
Entities
People
- Harry Rogers
- John F. Mescall