SOFT MISSILE IMPACT ON RIGID TARGETS

Analysis of structures subjected to missile impact requires detailed k nowledge of forces arising out of the impact. The conventional approac h for determining the reaction time response is to consider the gradua l crushing of the projectile, which is not realistic and moreover, it gives much conservative results.This paper presents an approach for ca lculating impact force on the basis of conservation of mass, momentum and energy and the buckling mode of collapse of a soft missile strikin g a hard target. Concertina as well as diamond type mode of collapse h ave been considered. The buckling load has been successfully predicted for experimental results available in literature using the proposed r elations. Forces exerted upon a rigid structure by an impacting hypoth etical 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 respo nse by the conventional approach is highlighted by considering the imp act of a hollow cylindrical missile.