Effect of projectile nose shape on the ballistic resistance of ductile targets

Three-dimensional numerical simulations were carried out to study the ballistic resistance of ductile targets subjected to normal impact by the projectiles. 12 mm thick Weldox 460 E steel targets were impacted by 20 mm diameter conical nosed projectiles and 1 mm thick 1100-H12 aluminum targets were impacted by 19 mm diameter ogive nosed projectiles. The internal nose angle of conical projectile was varied (33.4°–180°) and found to have significant effect on the ballistic limit of 12 mm thick Weldox 460 E steel target. Similarly, the caliber radius head (CRH) of ogive nosed projectile was varied (0–2.5) and found to have significant effect on the ballistic limit of 1 mm thick 1100-H12 aluminum target. The ballistic limit of 12 mm thick Weldox 460 E steel target increased almost linearly with the decrease in the projectile nose angle. While the ballistic limit of 1 mm thick 1100-H12 aluminum target increased as the CRH increased from 0 to 0.5 and with further increase in CRH to 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 its values were found to drop quite significantly. ABAQUS/Explicit finite element code was used to carry out the numerical simulations.