Patrik Lundberg

Impact of metallic projectiles on ceramic targets: transition between interface defeat and penetration

The purpose of this thesis is to gain understanding of the load on flat target surfaces produced by projectile impact. Models are proposed from which upper and lower bounds can be derived for the transition be-tween interface defeat and normal penetration.It is shown that the dominating contribution to the normal load is generally provided by the hydrodynamic pressure due to the effect of inertia. In addition it is shown that the contributions from yield strength and compressibility are also significant. For a cylindrical tungsten alloy projectile at an impact velocity representative of to-day’s ordnance velocities, the contributions to the load intensity on the axis of symmetry from yield strength and compressibility are shown to be 15% and 3.4%, respectively, of that of inertia.Impact tests have shown that for conical projectiles transition from interface defeat to penetration occurs at a significantly lower impact velocity than for cylindrical projectiles. In order to better understand the influence of projectile shape, a conical projectile in axi-symmetric impact is studied by use of an analytical model for self-similar flow, and the results obtained are compared to results of numerical simula-tions. It is shown how the maximum load intensity, and the position of the maximum, depends on the apex angle. For an apex angle of 90o, the maximum load intensity is found to be almost three times that pro-duced by a cylindrical projectile with the same impact velocity. This maximum occurs well off the axis of symmetry and is 20% larger than the load intensity at this axis. Both the self-similar model and the nu-merical simulations show that the contribution to the load intensity from compressibility is positive below and negative above an apex angle of around 80o. The contribution of yield strength to the load in-tensity at centre of impact depends only weakly on the apex angle and is therefore similar to that of a cylindrical projectile.

Tungsten long-rod penetration into confined cylinders of boron carbide at and above ordnance velocities

The purpose was to investigate the influence of impact velocity and confinement on the resistance of boron carbide targets to the penetration of tungsten long-rod projectiles. Experimental tests wi ...

Influence of scale on the penetration of tungsten rods into steel-backed alumina targets

Abstract As ballistic tests are often performed in reduced geometrical scale, the scaling laws are important for the interpretation of the results. In this study, we tested the validity of replica scaling, by which we mean that all geometrical dimensions are scaled uniformly, while the materials and the impact velocity are kept the same. Long tungsten projectiles with length-to-diameter ratio 15 were fired against unconfined alumina targets with steel backing. The tests were carried out with impact velocities 1500 m s−1 and 2500 m s−1, and in three different scales with projectile lengths 30, 75 and 150 mm (diameters 2, 5 and 10 mm). The alumina targets were photographed by means of a high-speed camera, and the tungsten projectiles were photographed inside the alumina targets by means of flash radiography. Also, the residual penetrations in the steel backings were measured. The Johnson-Holmquist model for ceramic materials was implemented into the AUTODYN code, which was used for simulation of the experiments. The agreement between results of experiment and simulation was fair, and over the tested interval of scales replica scaling was found to be valid with reasonable accuracy.

High velocity penetration of homogeneous, segmented and telescopic projectiles into alumina targets

Abstract Segmented and telescopic projectiles are designed to make efficient use of the higher impact velocities achievable with new acceleration techniques. This concept has been found to work against steel armour. In this study, we compare the penetration capability into an alumina target for these unconventional projectiles with that of a homogeneous projectile. The influence of segment separation distance and core-to-tube diameter ratio were simulated for the impact velocities 2.5, 3.0 and 3.5 km/s. The simulated final penetrations are compared to test results for one type of each of the homogeneous, segmented and telescopic projectiles at 2.5 and 3.0 km/s. Both simulations and tests show that the unconventional projectiles have better penetration capability than a homogeneous projectile with the same initial geometry.

Experimental Study of Electromagnetic Effects on Solid Copper Jets

In this paper we present a study of the interaction between all electric current pulse and a solid copper jet. Experiments were performed using a dedicated pulsed power supply delivering a current ...

Interaction Between Solid Copper Jets and Powerful Electrical Current Pulses

The interaction between a solid copper jet and an electric current pulse is studied. Copper jets that were created by a shaped-charge device were passed through an electrode configuration consisting of two aluminum plates with a separation distance of 150 mm. The electrodes were connected to a pulsed-power supply delivering a current pulse with amplitudes up to 250 kA. The current and voltages were measured, providing data on energy deposition in the jet and electrode contact region, and flash X-ray diagnostics were used to depict the jet during and after electrification. The shape of, and the velocity distributions along, the jet has been used to estimate the correlation between the jet mass flow through the electrodes and the electrical energy deposition. On average, 2.8 kJ/g was deposited in the jet and electrode region, which is sufficient to bring the jet up to the boiling point. A model based on the assumption of a homogenous current flow through the jet between the electrodes underestimates the energy deposition and the jet resistance by a factor 5 compared with the experiments, indicating a more complex current flow through the jet. The experimental results indicate the following mechanism for the enhancement of jet breakup. When electrified, the natural-formed necks in the jet are subjected to a higher current density compared with other parts of the jet. The higher current density results in a stronger heating and a stronger magnetic pinch force. Eventually, the jet material in the neck is evaporated and explodes electrically, resulting in a radial ejection of vaporized jet material.

Disruption mechanisms in electrified solid copper jets

Interaction between a solid copper jet and an electric current pulse is a complex process that has been experimentally studied by letting a jet created by a shaped charge device pass through an electrode configuration consisting of two aluminum plates with a separation distance of 150 mm. When the jet bridged the electrodes, which are connected to a charged pulsed power supply, current pulses with amplitude up to 250 kA were passed through the jet. By using flash X-ray diagnostics, the disruption of the electrified jets could be studied. In this paper, the disruption of the electrified jets is discussed and compared with disruption phenomena observed in electrically exploded metal rods in a static setup. Necks are naturally formed along a stretching jet, and in the experiments with current interaction these necks explode electrically. In the static experiments, the metal rods have small notches distributed along the rod to resemble the necks of the jet. When two neighboring necks or notches explode, the shock of the explosion compresses the intermediate jet or rod segment axially and the material is forced out radially. The disruption phenomena in the jet and rod experiments are similar with rapid expansion of the metal at explosion and at comparable velocities.