Friction and Wear Sciences for a Highly Durable Railgun Weapon
Abstract
The interior ballistics of multi-shot electromagnetic launchers are more complex than that of conventional propellant guns. To be effective, a weapon must be able to fire thousands of rounds without refurbishment. New approaches are needed to understand the friction and wear sciences that influence the life of the railgun bore. A coordinated series of experimental measurements and analytical frameworks are required in order to produce a robust method of predicting the life of a railgun barrel given its design and mission. Specific tasks were: 1) investigate the physical and chemical interactions and processes that occur at the sliding electrical contact interface; 2) determine the parameters that control the life of rails in a railgun; and 3) design, develop, and test functional materials for rail wear control. Selected results are summarized here.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA474856
Entities
People
- C. Persad
- S. Satapathy
Organizations
- University of Texas at Austin