Mild steel plates impacted by hard projectiles

The evaluation of ballistic resistance of steel targets is important due to its direct application to the safety of defense protective structures such as bunkers for military personnel, shelters for arms and explosives as well as safety of nuclear containment against missile impact. Experiments on penetration of 23 mm hard projectiles into mild steel plates were performed for 500 mm square plates with 30, 50, 60, and 150 mm total thicknesses. Results for ballistic limits obtained from existing empirical and analytical relations are compared with those from experiments. In addition, numerical simulations to predict the experimental results were made. Erosion (cell removal) criteria were established in order to realize simulation. Effect of the erosion strain value for which cells are removed on the prediction of penetration into steel plates was investigated. The numerical results show that erosion strain value has a significant effect on the prediction of perforation into steel plates.