Dynamic response and numerical simulation of Al-Sc and Al-Ti alloys under high-speed impact

Al-Sc and Al-Ti semi-infinite targets were impacted by high-speed projectiles at velocities of 0.8, 1.0, 1.2 and 1.5 km/s, respectively. It is found that the Al-Sc targets demonstrate more excellent ability to resist high-speed impact. It is concluded that different microstructures of Al-Sc and Al-Ti alloys, including different grain sizes and secondary particles precipitated in the matrix, result in their greatly different capabilities of resisting impact. Furthermore, the effect of the size range of nanoscale Al3Sc precipitate in Al-Sc alloy on the resistance of high-speed impact was investigated. In addition, computer simulations and validation of these simulations were developed which fairly accurately represented residual crater shapes/geometries. Validated computer simulations allowed representative extrapolations of impact craters well beyond the laboratory where melt and solidification occurred at the crater wall, especially for hypervelocity impact (>5 km/s).