Influence of the Jacket on Projectile Penetration into Typical Semi-infinite Metallic Targets

Le résumé fourni par la source

Abstract Existing research on the penetration of metallic targets by armor-piercing projectiles has predominantly focused on the mechanical behavior of the core, while the role of the jacket encasing the core during penetration is often simplified or even neglected. However, as the first component to contact the target, the jacket accounts for a considerable proportion of the projectile’s mass and undergoes severe deformation, which may significantly influence penetration efficiency and target failure modes. This paper investigates the influence of the projectile jacket on the penetration process of a 12.7 mm API projectile into different metallic target plates through combined experimental and numerical simulation methods. Comparative ballistic tests were conducted using the complete projectile and the bare core against 2A12-T4 aluminum alloy and Q235 steel targets. LS-DYNA simulations were employed to systematically analyze the dynamic behavior and energy dissipation mechanisms of the jacket during penetration. The results show that the presence of the jacket significantly affects penetration performance and crater morphology: for the aluminum alloy target, the penetration depth of the jacketed projectile is approximately 17.84% lower than that of the bare core; for the steel target, the reduction is about 11.84%. The jacket consumes a substantial amount of kinetic energy through its own plastic deformation, fragmentation, and friction with the target, with approximately 85% of its initial energy dissipated as internal energy and heat within the jacket. Furthermore, the jacket transforms the crater morphology from sharp, serrated edges induced by the bare core into smoother, shallower expansion profiles and suppresses the formation of adiabatic shear bands. The study demonstrates that although the jacket increases the initial kinetic energy of the projectile, it reduces penetration efficiency. Its primary role lies in modulating the failure mode of the target and the energy distribution pathway, providing important insights for the evaluation of armor-piercing projectile effects and the design of protective structures.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.