Compressibility effects in shaped charge jet penetration

Abstract

Among other hypotheses, the classical theory of high-speed penetration assumes the incompressibility of both the projectile and target. Employing a simple Murnaghan equation of state, we show here that direct compressibility effects (pv-work) on penetration depth are at most on the order of 10–15% for projectile speeds as high as 104 ms−1. Our results agree closely with similar results by Coombs (private communication, Royal Air Force Research Establishment, 1978), who used a more complex five-parameter equation of state. This indicates that rather simple equations of state may adequately represent essential thermodynamic features of high-speed penetration phenomena. The equation of state employed here furthermore allows approximate analytical results to be derived for both small and large projectile velocities.