Modeling Fragment Simulating Projectile Penetration into Steel Plates Using Finite Elements and Meshfree Particles

Abstract

Simulating fragment penetration into steel involves complicated modeling of severe behavior of the materials through multiple phases of response. Penetration of a fragment-like projectile was simulated using finite element (FE) and meshfree particle formulations. Extreme deformation and failure of the material during the penetration event were modeled with several approaches to evaluate each as to how well it represents the actual physics of the material and structural response. A steel Fragment Simulating Projectile (FSP) – designed to simulate a fragment of metal from a weapon casing – was simulated for normal impact into a flat square plate. A range of impact velocities was used to examine levels of exit velocity ranging from relatively small to one on the same level as the impact velocity. The numerical code EPIC, used for all the simulations presented herein, contains the element and particle formulations, as well as the explicit methodology and constitutive models needed to perform these simulations. These simulations were compared against experimental data, evaluating the damage caused to the projectile and the target plates, as well as comparing the residual velocity when the projectile perforated the target.

FE‐Meshfree QUAD4 Element with Modified Radial Point Interpolation Function for Structural Dynamic Analysis

“…Meshfree methods only employ nodes to discretize the problem domain and therefore are immune to mesh distortion problems. ey are suitable for solving complex practical problems such as large deformation, fracture propagation simulation, and impact-induced failure [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]. However, there exist important drawbacks for meshfree methods, such as the essential boundary condition implementation handicap, high computational cost, and complex trial function construction process, thereby giving rise to several hybrid schemes to enhance the applicability of meshfree methods.…”

Modeling Plastic Deformation of Steel Plates in Hypervelocity Impact Experiments

“…Numerous literature papers listed Eulerian based hydrocode such as CTH to simulate different penetration problems in steel plates [20][21][22]. The Lagrangian-based smooth particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method is also listed as an alternative way to simulate this type impact penetration problem [23,24].…”

Thick AA7020-T651 plates under ballistic impact of fragment-simulating projectiles

“…Suitable material models are descried and a prediction of the material behavior through a finiteelement simulation is presented. In [19][20], penetration of a fragment-like projectile is simulated using finiteelements as well as mesh-free particle formulations to compare the ballistic limit obtained numerically and experimentally for S2-glass/vinylester [19] and steel plates [20].…”