2-D computer simulations of segmented penetrators impacting semi-infinite steel targets

It has been shown that penetrator efficiency, i.e. the ratio of penetration to penetrator length ( P/L), increases as the ratio of the penetrator length to diameter decreases ( L/D). This suggests a long rod penetrator divided in several smaller length segments separated at a distance should improve performance when performance is measured in terms of total penetration. Numerical simulations are presented examining the performance of A. C. Charters' 7 segment 18 g kinetic energy penetrator at normal impact against a semi-infinite T4340 steel target. The two dimensional simulations compare the effects of the spacers used in Charters' penetrator with a similar penetrator without spacers; compare the performance of equivalent mass and diameter and equivalent mass and length monolithic penetrators to that of their segmented counterpart at velocities of 3.0, 3.4 and 4.0 km/s; examine the effects on performance of spacing-to-diameter ratio; and examine the use of penetration efficiency as a measure of the performance of segmented penetrators.