Experimental and numerical investigations on the behavior of thin metallic plate targets subjected to ballistic impact

Abstract

In this study, the description of energy absorption capacity in different deformation modes in the perforation of thin metallic aluminum 1100-H12 targets is presented. The targets were impacted with 19 mm diameter hard steel cylindrical projectiles of varying nose profiles, viz. ogive, blunt, conical and hemispherical shape. Effect of oblique impact on the perforation behavior of 255 mm diameter circular plate targets was studied at 0 (normal), 15 and 30° angles from the incidence line. The ballistic performance of two different configurations of plate targets, viz. monolithic target of 2 mm thickness and in-contact double layered target of equivalent thickness (2 × 1 mm) was also investigated and compared. The numerical simulations were executed using Johnson-Cook elasto-viscoplastic material model for the targets in ABAQUS/Explicit solver and the results were corroborated with the experimental observations. The ballistic performance of the targets against different nose shaped projectiles, was evaluated and compared in terms of ballistic limit velocities, local and global deformations in the target, failure mechanisms and plastic work done in various deformation modes involved in the impact process. It was observed that the ballistic limit for all targets was increased with obliquity, except for targets impacted with blunt nose projectile. The energy absorbed in different deformation modes corroborated with the failure mechanisms involved in the target during perforation. Both target configurations showed the highest ballistic resistance for hemispherical nosed projectile.