Publications

Semi-infinite target penetration by ogive-nose penetrators: ALEGRA/SHISM code predictions for ideal and non-ideal impacts

Bishop, Joseph E.; Voth, Thomas E.; Brown, Kevin H.

The physics of ballistic penetration mechanics is of great interest in penetrator and counter-measure design. The phenomenology associated with these events can be quite complex and a significant number of studies have been conducted ranging from purely experimental to 'engineering' models based on empirical and/or analytical descriptions to fully-coupled penetrator/target, thermo-mechanical numerical simulations. Until recently, however, there appears to be a paucity of numerical studies considering 'non-ideal' impacts [1]. The goal of this work is to demonstrate the SHISM algorithm implemented in the ALEGRA Multi-Material ALE (Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian) code [13]. The SHISM algorithm models the three-dimensional continuum solid mechanics response of the target and penetrator in a fully coupled manner. This capability allows for the study of 'non-ideal' impacts (e.g. pitch, yaw and/or obliquity of the target/penetrator pair). In this work predictions using the SHISM algorithm are compared to previously published experimental results for selected ideal and non-ideal impacts of metal penetrator-target pairs. These results show good agreement between predicted and measured maximum depth-of-penetration, DOP, for ogive-nose penetrators with striking velocities in the 0.5 to 1.5 km/s range. Ideal impact simulations demonstrate convergence in predicted DOP for the velocity range considered. A theory is advanced to explain disagreement between predicted and measured DOP at higher striking velocities. This theory postulates uncertainties in angle-of-attack for the observed discrepancies. It is noted that material models and associated parameters used here, were unmodified from those in the literature. Hence, no tuning of models was performed to match experimental data. Copyright © 2005 by ASME.