Aircraft fuel tank entry wall-projectile interaction studies.

Hydraulic ram is the physical production of pressure wave wall loadings due to projectile penetration and their effect on a fuel cell. Facilities were designed and testing conducted in preparation for investigation of the hydraulic ram phenomenon. A ballistic range was designed that yielded projectile velocity and flight attitude information before and after wall penetration. Wall specimens of a single thickness were impacted by a range of projectile sizes, weights, shapes, and velocities. This yielded the energy absorbed by the wall without fluid damping.