Fracture of metal-intermetallic laminate target under high-velocity impact

Abstract

Deformation and fracture of laminates under high-velocity impact were numerically investigated. Targets consisting of alternating layers of intermetallide (Al3Ti) and titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) were used as laminate composites. A high-strength steel core was used as a projectile. Impact velocities were varied in the range of 2000-5000 m/s. Fracture of intermetallic layers is described by the brittle fracture model, and fracture of titanium alloy layers is described by the active-type kinetic model. The erosion fracture model is used to simulate the fracture of the material under intensive deformation. The modified finite element method (without a global stiffness matrix) was used for numerical computations. It is revealed the increasing role of shock wave processes in the fracture of targets with increasing an impact velocity. The metal-intermetallic laminate target delaminates due to the fracture of intermetallic layers in shock waves and the formation of main cracks in these layers.