Load-Damage Relationships for Chemical Submunitions.
Abstract
We determined the load-damage relationship for individual chemical submunitions to link (1) the loads on individual submunitions in a complete target that can be measured or calculated and (2) the damage to individual submunitions that is more difficult to determine. Impact experiments and calculations were conducted on single Chemical Submunitions 1 and 2 (nominally 95% full of water) at full, half, and quarter scale, at velocities up to 330 m/s to simulate impacts away from the direct impact area in a complete target impacted by a hit to kill vehicle. The damage mechanisms were similar to those produced in sled tests of complete targets: failure of the burst diaphragm, removal of the fuze plug fracture where the case is welded to the top and axial fractures in the casing. The load damage relationship was quantified in terms of pressure impulse or PI curves. We also determined that submunitions could be ejected at velocities of about 65 m/s with no damage to prevent their functioning. We compared the material and structural response of full and quarter scale Chemical Submunitions 2. We found that when the burst diaphragm static strength is matched, the more dominant mechanisms observed in array tests, diaphragm failure and fuze removal, are the same at both scales. Failure of the weld did not occur in the quarter scale because of intentional differences in construction. Fractures in the cylindrical casing of the submunitions. less frequently observed than diaphragm or fuze failure, were more ductile and hence required greater equivalent loads to produce in quarter scale than in full scale.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1996
- Accession Number
- ADA316166
Entities
People
- Alexander L. Florence
- Curtis M. Romander
- Jacques H. Giovanola
- James D. Colton
- Steven W. Kirkpatrick
Organizations
- SRI International