Experimental and Numerical Study of Submillimeter-Sized Hypervelocity Impacts on Honeycomb Sandwich Structures

The present study proposes to extend the results of the CEG. The main approach is to consider the relative dimensions between the projectile diameter and the honeycomb geometry in order to evaluate the perforation risks of submillimer-sized hypervelocity impacts. The impact process on honeycomb sandwich panel has first been modelled using commercial hydrocode LS-Dyna using hybrid Lagrange and Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) solvers. The numerical model has been validated through several hypervelocity impacts experiments carried out at Thiot Ingenierie Shock Physics Laboratory at velocities up to 9.3 km/s. This model has then been used to define a ballistic curve which defines the critical projectile diameter of a specific sandwich panel subjected to submillimer-sized debris impact. The results are finally compared to the ones obtained by the CEG leading to an updated estimation of the protection capability of honeycomb sandwich panels.