Observations on Impacts of Deformable Conical Projectiles at 60 Degree Target Obliquity

Abstract

Conical aluminium projectiles of apex angle 34 degrees were made to impact thin aluminium targets inclined at an angle of 60 degrees at low subordnance velocities where material strength effects are still valid. Thin targets of thickness 1.5mm and 2mm underwent failure by reverse petalling as the projectiles penetrated the targets. Projectiles underwent ricochet while impacting 2.5mm targets causing severe dents and visible contact marks on the target. While the projectile nose tips were separated in the 1.5mm and 2mm cases, the projectiles impacting 2.5mm targets underwent substantial nose deformation. Numerical simulation performed using ABAQUS/Explicit was able to capture the projectile deformation and target deformation quite well phenomenologically.