A phenomenological model for perforation of moderately thick plates by tumbling projectiles

phenomenological model has been developed to describe the mechanism of tumbling perforation of blunt-faced cylindrical projectiles in moderately thick aluminum plates. The perforation process, based on experimental observations, consists of four stages : erosion ; plugging ; hole enlargement and petaling. The modeling in the plugging stage consists sequentially of cratering, plug formation, plug separation, plug slipping and post perforation deformation. Bulging and voids in the target created by projectile rotation were also considered in the model. The target material is considered to be rigid-perfectly plastic, while the projectile is regarded as undefonnable. Calculations for the final velocity and oblique angle of the projectile as well as for the crater profile of the target were found to be in good correspondence with experimental results. Copyright 0 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.