Analysis of hydrodynamic ram and cavity evolution characteristics during high-velocity penetration of Zr55Cu30Al10Ni5 fragments into water-filled containers

Abstract

Reactive material fragments are extensively employed in military fields due to the dual destructive properties of kinetic energy penetration and combustion/explosion upon impact with fuel tanks. In this study, we explored the phenomenon known as Hydrodynamic Ram (HRAM), which occurs when a high-speed projectile or debris impacts a liquid-filled container, resulting in extremely high pressure potentially causing catastrophic damage. Experimental investigations were conducted at various velocities to study the unique phenomenon of the HRAM effect of Zr55Cu30Al10Ni5 bulk metallic glass due to fragmentation. An energy conservation model was established to analyze the process of Zr55Cu30Al10Ni5 fragments penetrating a liquid-filled container, and a velocity decay theory for the debris cloud moving in the liquid was developed. Moreover, considering the confinement effect induced by the limited size of the container and variations in initial conditions during the HRAM process, a two-stage cavity radius model was proposed to describe the evolution of the cavity generated by the impact of Zr55Cu30Al10Ni5 fragments. The analytical results from the two-stage cavity radius model closely aligned with experimental observations regarding the time and magnitude of cavity evolution. As the velocity increased, the cavity radius also enlarged. However, the final time variation was not significant.