28/11/2025
Why Do We Use Different Projectile Types in High-Velocity Impact Tests?
Researchers employ different projectile types depending on the physical phenomena they aim to study and the industry application, such as aircraft bird-strike analysis, armor and protective structure testing, and evaluation of fragmentation threats.
In numerical showcase, all impacts were performed on a 3.0 mm thick aluminum plate, with an effective impact window of 300 ร 300 mm. *๐ ๐๐ง_๐ ๐ข๐๐๐๐๐๐_๐๐ข๐๐ก๐ฆ๐ข๐ก_๐๐ข๐ข๐ was adopted in order to capture strain-rate effects, thermal softening, and damage evolution under high-speed loading conditions.
To highlight the role of projectile rigidity, density, and failure mechanics, three projectiles representing different classes of impact threats were selected: ๐ฆ๐ผ๐ณ๐ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ท๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐น๐ฒ (Bird-like Material), ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ด๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ฆ๐ถ๐บ๐๐น๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ท๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐น๐ฒ (FSP), ๐ณ.๐ต๐ฎร๐ฏ๐ฏ๐บ๐บ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ (Ballistic Round).
I. Soft Projectile: A Dent without Pe*******on
The soft spherical projectile causes local deformation on the plate but does not perforate it. This response is typical of bird-strike-type impacts, where the projectile behaves more like a fluid than a solid at high velocity.
The projectile undergoes hydrodynamic spreading, flattening and flowing across the impact surface. Energy is distributed over a large area and longer duration, reducing local stress concentration.
II. 7.92ร33 mm Kurz: Efficient Pe*******on With Lower Exit Velocity
The ballistic round perforates the aluminum plate, demonstrating efficient pe*******on but with a lower exit velocity compared to the FSP.
This is because the projectileโs pointed or ogive-shaped nose promotes efficient pe*******on by reducing resistance and concentrating stress at the leading edge. As a result, the ballistic round undergoes a smaller kinetic energy drop during perforation than the FSP. However, it also has lower mass than the FSP.
III. Fragment Simulating Projectile: Pe*******on With the Highest Exit Velocity
The FSP also penetrates the plate, but with the highest exit velocity of all rigid projectiles in this study. The FSP is a high-mass, high-density, hardened projectile designed for repeatable ballistic testing.
Its simple cylindrical geometry causes greater resistance and a larger drop in kinetic energy during pe*******on compared to the ballistic round. The plate typically fails through shear plugging or localized petaling, consistent with rigid-body impacts.
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Understanding how different projectile types influence failure patterns and the effect they have on pe*******on, perforation, and energy absorption is essential for interpreting high-velocity impact behaviour with confidence.
Modelling high-velocity impact on aluminum plates will be one of the key topics in our LS-DYNA workshop this weekend and the following one. Follow the link in the comment below for more details.
