The Bifurcate Fracture Analysis of Linear Red Copper Penetrator

Abstract

Red copper has been widely used in shaped charge liner because of its good ductility. Red copper penetrator is the Linear Explosively Formed Penetrator (LEFP) with some length and energy which has been produced when linear red copper shaped charge liner is overturned under the effect of detonation production. Compared with some ordinary jets sword, it has some characteristics such as the broad range of stand-off, big cratering and obvious rear effect and may meet with many operating requirements in different environment. It has been discovered that the bifurcate fracture phenomenon of red copper penetrator will occur with the increase of stand-off when it is initiated on edge midpoint in its property test experiment, and results in the separating cratering on the target which influences its effect. The Propagation characteristics of detonation wave in explosive and the effect of detonation wave on red copper shaped charge liner are analyzed, and then the velocity change obtained by each element and the velocity relationship between each element are studied. So it can be drawn a conclusion that the velocity gradient is the main factor which results in the bifurcate fracture phenomenon of red copper penetrator. In addition, the theoretic analysis model of the bifurcate fracture in red copper penetrator is built. On the basis of modeling analysis and calculation, the criterion of the occurring bifurcate fracture and the measures avoiding the bifurcate fracture are put forward. The results agree well with that of experiments.