Various Target Material Failure Mechanisms Observed for Ballistic Penetrations

Abstract

The failure mechanism of a novel target material is compared to existing armor materials (rolled homogeneous armor, RHA, and high hardness armor, HHA), which exhibit two vastly different failure mechanisms. The RHA steel exhibits large bulk plastic deformation as the penetrator burrows into the target. In contrast, the HHA deforms much less as the strain is localized in very small regions that develop into adiabatic shear bands which 'chip' undeformed target material loose during the penetration. Pyromet 718, a nickel superalloy, was chosen to compare different failure mechanisms to the resistance to penetration of the RHA and HHA material. However, it deformed in a manner combining the other two extremes, exhibiting some bulk plastic deformation prior to localizing in deformation bands. The ballistic resistance also appears to lie between the two existing materials with respect to hardness and perhaps, somewhat better for its strength.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 1991
Accession Number
ADA241555

Entities

People

  • Timothy G. Farrand

Organizations

  • Ballistic Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Alloys
  • Armor
  • Chemistry
  • Engineering
  • Failure Mode And Effect Analysis
  • Hardness
  • Materials
  • Mechanical Properties
  • Mechanical Working
  • Plastic Deformation
  • Resistance
  • Shear Bands
  • Standards
  • Stress Strain Relations
  • Stresses
  • Tensile Strength
  • Yield Strength

Readers

  • Materials Science (Mechanical Engineering).
  • Mechanical Engineering/Mechanics of Materials.
  • ballistics.