A finite element-experimental study of the impact of spheres on aluminium thin plates

Abstract

This paper describes a study of the collision of hard steel spheres against aluminium thin circular plates at speeds up to 140 m/s. The tests were monitored by a high speed camera and a chronoscope, which allowed the determination of the ballistic limit and the plate deformation pattern. Quasi-static material parameters were obtained from tests on a universal testing machine and dynamic mechanical characterization of two aluminium alloys were conducted in a split Hopkinson pressure bar. Using a damage model, the perforation of the plates was simulated by finite element analysis. Axisymmetric, shell and solid elements were employed with various parameters of the numerical analysis being thoroughly discussed, in special, the dynamic model parameters. A good agreement between experiments and the numerical analysis was obtained.