Soft missile impact on rigid targets

Abstract

Analysis of structures subjected to missile impact requires detailed knowledge of forces arising out of the impact. The conventional approach for determining the reaction time response is to consider the gradual crushing of the projectile, which is not realistic and moreover, it gives much conservative results. This paper presents an approach for calculating impact force on the basis of conservation of mass, momentum and energy and the buckling mode of collapse of a soft missile striking a hard target. Concertina as well as diamond type mode of collapse have been considered. The buckling load has been successfully predicted for experimental results available in literature using the proposed relations. Forces exerted upon a rigid structure by an impacting hypothetical projectile are evaluated using finite difference approach. The results obtained from the study have been compared with that obtained by conventional method. Error in the evaluation of reaction time response by the conventional approach is highlighted by considering the impact of a hollow cylindrical missile.