The effect of yaw on the penetration of rigid rods

Abstract

We explored the effect of yaw angles on the penetration depths of rigid long rods through a series of 3D numerical simulations. In particular, we looked for normalized relations between the penetration depths and the yaw angles, in order to account for our simulation results through non-dimensional parameters. These numerically-based relations highlight the physics behind the interaction of rigid yawed rods and metallic targets, and they can be used in future attempts to account for the yawed impact by analytical modeling. We also explored the behavior of rods with real constitutive properties, impacting aluminum targets at high velocities and non-negligible yaw angles. Our simulations reproduced unique aspects of this interaction which were found experimentally two decades ago.