PREDICTION OF FORCE TIME HISTORIES IN THICK STEEL PLATES DUE TO PENETRATION BY TUNGSTEN RODS AT VELOCITIES OF 1.5-2.5 KM S(-1)

An analytical model has been proposed to predict the force-time histor y in an isotropic plate due to penetration by a projectile. The analyt ical model developed considers the prediction of shape and size of the cavity, pressure distribution along the cavity wall and force-time hi story for the penetration event. The shape and the radius of the cavit y obtained from the model are compared with the experiment and with th e finite element simulation. Six penetration experiments were performe d in 4340 steel plates by long tungsten rods (L/D = 11) at velocities in the range of 1.5-2.5 km s(-1). These experiments were then simulate d using the EPIC91 Research Code. From the experiments, cavity radius, terminal velocity and reduction in rod length are compared with the f inite element simulations. The simulated cavity radius, cavity depth, cavity expansion velocity and force-time histories are comparable with those obtained from the cavity growth and expansion model. Initially, an idealized analytical force-time history was compared with the simu lation. The results showed that the force-time history is characterist ic of the penetration event. Finally, we evaluated the influence of ta rget thickness and striking velocity of the projectile on the analytic al force-time history.