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Ballistic tests with plate and stiffened targets impacted by cylindrical and blade-like projectiles were conducted using compressed gas gun to investigate the perforation-resistance performance of aero-engine fan casing during a blade-out event. It was observed that for the plate target impacted by the blade-like projectile, fragmentation on the projectile nose occurred and the targets were failed by petaling; but for the other combinations, the main failure mode of the targets was plugging and the projectiles were intact except in cases when the blade-like projectile hit the stiffeners. Due to the distinct failure mode, ballistic limit for the plate target impacted by the blade-like projectile was much higher. To analyze the perforation resistance of the target, the energy absorption modes were classified and described with analytical models. A new dishing energy calculating method was proposed for a plate normally impacted by an arbitrary cross-section projectile. The energy absorbed by each mode and the ballistic limits for the plate target were calculated using these analytical models. It was found that fragmentation of the projectile led to a larger amount of dishing energy. The formation conditions of the fragmentation on projectile nose were theoretically analyzed, and the influencing factors for the fragmentation such as the critical thickness of the target and the critical impact velocity of the projectile were derived with established formulas. The theoretical analysis agreed well with the test results. It is argued that if the target is thicker than the critical thickness and the initial velocity of the projectile is larger than the critical impact velocity, fragmentation on projectile nose will occur, failure mode of the target will change to petaling, and the perforation resistance of the target will be significantly enhanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper an experimental and numerical work is reported concerning the process of perforation of thin steel plates using different projectile nose shapes. The main goal is to analyze how the projectile shape may change the ballistic properties of materials. A wide range of impact velocities from 35 to 180 m/s has been covered during the tests. All the projectiles were 13 mm in diameter and the targets were 1 mm thick, as such the projectile can be regarded as rigid and the target sheets were of interstitial-free (IF) steel. The mass ratio (projectile mass/steel sheet mass) and the ratio between the span of the steel sheet and the diameter of the projectile were kept constant, equal to 0.38 and 3.85 respectively. To define the thermoviscoplastic behavior of the target material, the Rusinek-Klepaczko (RK) constitutive model [1] was used. The complete identification of the material constants was done based on a rigorous material characterization. Numerical simulations of some experimental tests were carried out using a non-linear finite element code ABAQUS/Explicit. It was found that the numerical models are able to describe the physical mechanisms in the perforation process with a good accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ballistic performance of thin aluminium targets and influence thereon of different circumferential fixity conditions were studied both experimentally and by finite element simulations. A pressure gun was employed to carry out the experiments while the numerical simulations were performed on ABAQUS/Explicit finite element code using Johnson–Cook elasto-viscoplastic material model. 1 mm thick 1100-H12 aluminium plates of free span diameter 255 mm were normally impacted by 19 mm diameter ogive and blunt nosed projectiles. The boundary conditions of the plate were varied by varying the region of fixity along its circumference as 100%, 75%, 50% and 25% in experiments and the numerical simulations. Further, simulations were carried out to compare the response of the plates with 50% and 75% continuous fixity with those with two and three symmetrical intermittent regions of 25% fixity respectively. The variation in the boundary condition has been found to have insignificant influence on the failure mode of the target however; it significantly affected the mechanics of target deformation and its energy absorption capacity. The ballistic limit increased with decrease in the region of fixity. It decreased for intermittent fixity in comparison with equivalent continuous fixity. And, it has been found to be higher for the impact with projectile having blunt nose in comparison with the one having ogive nose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, the ballistic performance of double-layered steel plates of different materials impacted by blunt- and ogival-nosed projectiles is experimentally investigated by a gas gun. The ballistic limit velocity for each configuration is obtained and compared on the investigation of the effect of the order of layers and the nose shape of projectiles on the ballistic resistance of targets. The experimental results showed that the ballistic limit velocities are higher for the double-layered plates of the upper layer of high strength and low ductility material and the lower layer of low strength and high ductility material than the configuration of the opposite layering order. Moreover, the ballistic limit velocities of ogival-nosed projectiles are significantly smaller than those of blunt-nosed projectiles. Furthermore, the keep integrity ability of ogival-projectiles is obvious stronger than that of blunt-nosed projectiles, and also the blunt-nosed projectiles lose some mass and their length shorten, but the loss of mass and length of ogival-nosed projectiles are tiny that can be neglected. The differences in the ballistic limit velocities between various impact conditions can be related to the transitions of perforation mechanisms and failure models of plates and projectiles. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The present study describes the ballistic impact behaviour of a high strength metastable near beta Ti alloy, β-CEZ in different microstructural conditions against 7.62 mm armour piercing projectiles. Ballistic trials were carried out on 10 mm thick β-CEZ and Ti–6Al–4V plates clamped with 50 mm thick 7017 Al alloy backing. The ballistic performance of different conditions was evaluated by measuring residual depth of penetration (DOP) in 50 mm thick Al-7017 alloy backing. In the present study, even though the β-CEZ titanium alloy in as-rolled and α + β solution treated + aged conditions had significantly higher strength and hardness compared to conventionally used Ti–6Al–4V, significant improvement in ballistic impact resistance was not observed. Post ballistic microstructural observation of crater cross section showed formation of adiabatic shear bands (ASBs) and ASB induced cracks in all conditions. As-rolled, α + β solution treated and aged conditions of β-CEZ alloy showed more ASBs, ASB induced cracks in comparison to Ti–6Al–4V. The β-solution treated and quenched condition of β-CEZ had less number of ASB and highest residual depth of penetration. In this study the ballistic results are discussed based on the post ballistic microstructural observations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper presents a ballistic impact simulation of an armour-piercing projectile in hybrid ceramic/fiber reinforced composite armour. The armour is composed by an alumina plate and an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene composite. In order to model the armour behavior three different constitutive models were formulated and implemented into ABAQUS/Explicit finite element code. Comparisons between numerical predictions and experimental results in terms of damage shape/extent and V50 are also presented and discussed in the paper. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper presents an analytical model for studying the material failure in shear hinges formed during the dynamic plastic response of a circular plate under projectile impact. Analytic solutions for the ballistic perforation performance of a fully clamped circular plate struck by a blunt projectile are obtained. It takes into account both the global response (plate bending) and the localized shear. Based on the estimations of the shear strain and the size of shear hinge, condition for the initiation of an adiabatic shear band is formulated. The effectiveness of the present model is demonstrated by reasonable agreement between the theoretical predictions and the available experimental data for the perforation of Weldox 460E steel plates. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper describes an experimental, analytical and numerical investigation of the penetration and perforation of circular Weldox 460 E steel plates with different thicknesses struck by a blunt projectile at various impact velocities. In the experimental tests, a compressed gas gun was used to launch the sabot mounted projectile at impact velocities well above and just below the ballistic limit of the target plates. Nominal hardness, diameter, length and mass of the projectile were kept constant in all tests. The target plate was clamped in a rigid circular frame, and the thickness was varied between 6 and 30 mm. Measurements were made of the initial and residual velocities, and the ballistic limit velocity and the residual versus impact velocity curve were obtained for each target thickness tested. In addition, a digital high-speed camera system was used to photograph the penetration event. The experimental findings from the tests are presented and discussed, and the results are used to assess some empirical, analytical and numerical models. It is shown that especially the results obtained by the finite element approach are encouraging in terms of predicting the response of the plates examined. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]