Modeling and simulation on dynamic engraving process of small caliber armor-piercing projectile with lead-free aluminum filler

Abstract

In order to reduce the ineffective armor-piercing weight of the small caliber armor-piercing projectile, improve combat effectiveness, and reduce the pollution of lead fillers to the environment, a projectile with aluminum filler was proposed. Taking the small caliber armor-piercing projectile as the research object, using explicit dynamic methods and coupling the classical internal ballistic equations, a numerical simulation model of bullet–barrel interactions during dynamic engraving process was established. And the reliability of the model was verified by the dynamic engraving experiment. Besides, using copper and copper-clad steel (CCS) as the jacket material, and aluminum and lead as the filler material, numerical simulation studies of four schemes were carried out. The result shows that, the aluminum filler projectile will cause a slight increase in the maximum chamber pressure and a slight decrease in the muzzle velocity of the projectile, an increase in the sliding friction force and a decrease in the maximum deformation force, an increase in the contact stress on both sides of the land and a decrease in the contact stress on the land and groove. And the contact stress on the non-driving side is larger than that on the driving side. The average contact stress and the engraving resistance of the Cu-Al case and CCS-Pb case are very close. And the application of Cu-Al projectile may improve the shooting accuracy in the hot barrel conditions compared with Cu-Pb projectile, and achieve the same performance as CCS-Pb projectile.