Experimental and numerical studies of double-nosed projectile impact on aluminum plates

Experiments and numerical simulations were performed to study the failure modes and ballistic resistance of aluminum targets subjected to normal impact of double-nosed projectiles. Three such projectiles used in this study were designated according to their front and second nose shapes as conico–blunt, blunt–blunt and blunt–conico. Each projectile was hit normally on 0.82 and 1.82 mm thick circular plate targets of 1100-H14 aluminium at different velocities. The deformation, failure mode and ballistic limit of both targets were obtained through experiments and reproduced through simulations using ABAQUS/Explicit finite element code. The ballistic limit of target was found to be highest against blunt–blunt followed by conico–blunt and blunt–conico projectile respectively. The results of target response thus obtained due to the impact of the double-nosed projectiles were compared with those of the single-nosed blunt and conical projectiles, and typical features of the plate response have been discussed for both double and single-nosed projectiles.

► The 1100-H14 aluminum targets were subjected to impact by double-nosed projectiles. ► Each projectile was hit normally on 0.82 and 1.82 mm thick circular targets. ► Failure modes of double-nosed projectile were compared with single-nosed projectiles. ► 0.82 mm thick target offered highest ballistic limit for blunt–blunt projectile. ► 1.82 mm thick target offered highest ballistic limit for single-nose blunt projectile.