On the hydrodynamic approximation for long-rod penetration

Abstract

Steady-state hydrodynamic theory, or variations thereof, has been applied to long-rod penetration since the 1940s. It is generally believed that projectile strength is of little consequence at high velocities, and that hydrodynamic theory is applicable to long-rod penetration when penetration pressures are much greater than the target flow stress. Substantiating this belief is the observation that at approximately 2.5 km/s, for tungsten alloy projectiles into armor steel, normalized penetration (P/L) nominally saturates to the classical hydrodynamic limit of the square root of the ratio of the projectile to target densities. Experimental data herein, however, show penetration velocities and instantaneous penetration efficiencies fall below that expected from hydrodynamic theory, even at impact velocities as high as 4.0 km/s. Numerical simulations, using appropriate strength values, are in excellent agreement with the experimental data. Parametric studies demonstrate that both projectile and target strength have a measurable effect even at such high impact velocities.