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Terminal Ballistics pp 45–108Cite as

Rigid Penetrators

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Abstract

The penetration of a very thick (semi-infinite) target by rigid a projectile has been the subject of intense research for over two centuries. A large number of empirical relations and engineering models have been proposed over these years, as reviewed Backman and Goldsmith (1978). These relations account for the penetration depth of a given projectile in terms of its impact velocity, and they differ by the basic assumptions concerning the retarding forces (stresses) on the projectile. With the recent advancements in the quality and reliability of numerical simulations, these analytical models can be further validated, as will be demonstrated in this chapter. We start the discussion with a short review of the more popular models which have been proposed over the years. This is followed by a careful examination of a certain set of experimental data, which will lead to the proper choice of an analytical model for the deep penetration by rigid penetrators. Numerical simulations are then used in order to enhance the validity of this model and to explore the role of its physical parameters.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ballistics Center, RAFAEL, Haifa, Israel

    Zvi Rosenberg & Erez Dekel

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  1. Zvi Rosenberg
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  2. Erez Dekel
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Correspondence to Zvi Rosenberg .

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© 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Rosenberg, Z., Dekel, E. (2012). Rigid Penetrators. In: Terminal Ballistics. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-25305-8_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-25305-8_3

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-25304-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-25305-8

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