Simulation Study on Jet Formability and Damage Characteristics of a Low-Density Material Liner
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materials Article Simulation Study on Jet Formability and Damage Characteristics of a Low-Density Material Liner Liangliang Ding ID , Wenhui Tang * and Xianwen Ran College of Science, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073, China; [email protected] (L.D.); [email protected] (X.R.) * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +86-181-7512-1477 Received: 12 December 2017; Accepted: 3 January 2018; Published: 4 January 2018 Abstract: The shaped charge tandem warhead is an effective weapon against the ERA (explosive reactive armor). Whether the pre-warhead can reliably initiate the ERA directly determines the entire performance of the tandem warhead. The existing shaped charge pre-warhead mostly adopts a metal shaped jet, which effectively initiates the ERA, but interferes the main shaped jet. This article, on the other hand, explores the possibility of producing a pre-warhead using a low-density material as the liner. The nonlinear dynamic analysis software Autodyn-2D is used to simulate and compare three kinds of low-density shaped jets, including floatglass, Lucite, and Plexiglas, to the copper shaped jet in the effectiveness of impacting ERA. Based on the integrative criteria (including u-d initiation criterion, explosive reactive degree, explosive pressure, and particle velocity of the panels), it can be determined whether the low-density shaped jet can reliably initiate the sandwich charge. The results show that the three kinds of low-density shaped jets can not only initiate the reaction armor, but are also superior to the existing copper shaped jet in ductility, jet tip velocity, jet tip diameter, and the mass; namely, it is feasible to use the low-density material shaped jet to destroy the ERA. Keywords: explosive reactive armor; low-density material; shaped jet; liner; tandem warhead 1. Introduction Local wars in recent years have shown that the modern armored targets, such as tanks and armored vehicles, are still the main combat systems on the ground battlefield, which integrates firepower, protection, and mobility. The shaped charge warhead is one of the most important anti-armor ammunition, and a great deal of manpower, material, and financial resources have been spent on improving its power and performance. In 1969, Held found that the sandwich structure (metal panel/explosive/metal panel) can significantly reduce the penetration ability of a shaped jet and kinetic rod, then applied for a patent in 1970, which then became the prototype of ERA (explosive reactive armor). The ERA is a revolution in the field of armor protection for its wide use in main battle tanks and armored vehicles, to name a few: Russia0s T-90 main battle tank, Israel0s MK4 main battle tank, the United States M1A1/M1A2 main battle tank, China0s 99 series main battle tank and Germany0s Leopard II main battle tank. The wide application of ERA has posed a great threat to the traditional anti-armor ammunition. When equipped with ERA, the armored target0s protection ability, battlefield survival ability, and the sustained combat ability are greatly enhanced. The experimental results show that the protective efficiency of the single-layer ERA structure to the conventional shaped charge warhead is 70–90% [1,2]. Therefore, in order to effectively deal with ERA and eliminate the interference of the ERA action field on the shaped jet, the concept of a shaped charge tandem warhead was put forward. At present, the shaped charge tandem warhead that is widely used mainly includes two kinds of structures; it is either the armor piercing-shaped charge type or the shaped charge-shaped charge type. The armor Materials 2018, 11, 72; doi:10.3390/ma11010072 www.mdpi.com/journal/materials Materials 2018, 11, 72 2 of 17 piercing-shapedMaterials 2018, 11 charge, 72 type tandem warhead is mainly composed of a pre-warhead (armor2 of piercing 17 or EFP)either and the post-warhead armor piercing-shaped (shaped charge charge), type as or shownthe shaped in Figurecharge-shaped1a. Its workingcharge type. principle The armor is that the pre-projectilepiercing-shaped penetrates charge type and tandem passes warhead through is ma theinly ERA composed at a certainof a pre-warhead speed without (armor piercing causing the sandwichedor EFP) and charge post-warhead to explode, (shaped and then charge), the mainas shown charge in Figure is initiated 1a. Its working after a certain principle delay is that and the forms the shapedpre-projectile jet to impactpenetrates the ERAand passes through through the hole the formed ERA at by a thecertain pre-impact; speed without thus, the causing ERA losesthe the abilitysandwiched to interfere charge with to the explode, shaped and jet. then The the shaped main ch charge-shapedarge is initiated after charge a certain type delay tandem and warhead forms is mainlythe composed shaped jet to of impact a pre-warhead the ERA through (shaped the charge) hole formed andpost-warhead by the pre-impact; (shaped thus, the charge), ERA loses as shown the in Figureability1b. Its to working interfere principlewith the shaped is that thejet. The pre-charge shaped ischarge-shaped initiated first charge and forms type tandem a shaped warhead jet to initiate is mainly composed of a pre-warhead (shaped charge) and post-warhead (shaped charge), as shown in the sandwich charge placed in the middle of ERA, and after a certain delay the main shaped jet formed Figure 1b. Its working principle is that the pre-charge is initiated first and forms a shaped jet to initiate by the post-charge can penetrate the ERA without interference [3]. the sandwich charge placed in the middle of ERA, and after a certain delay the main shaped jet Heldformed [4 by–11 the] studied post-charge the interactioncan penetrate mechanism the ERA without between interference the armor [3]. and the shaped jet through a large numberHeld [4–11] of experiments, studied the interaction and obtained mechanism the between interference the armor law ofand sandwich the shaped charge jet through thickness, a detonationlarge number velocity, of metalexperiments, plate thickness, and obtained and jetthe angleinterference on the law shaped of sandwich jet. Mayseless charge [12thickness,] conducted experimentsdetonation to velocity, study the metal interaction plate thickness, between and the jet angle shaped on jetthe andshaped the jet. metal Mayseless panel, [12] and conducted proposed the pebbleexperiments interference to study model, the ininteraction which the between metal the panel shaped generates jet and the periodic metal panel, interference and proposed to the the shaped jet. Inpebble the subsequent interference model, study, in Mayseless which the [metal13] also panel found generates that periodic the jet diameterinterference decreases to the shaped after jet. the jet passesIn throughthe subsequent the ERA, study, and Mayseless then established [13] also found a continuousthat the jet diameter interference decreases model after (Grazingthe jet passes model). through the ERA, and then established a continuous interference model (Grazing model). Koch [14] Koch [14] studied the change of the initiation criterion values of ERA with the variation of the shaped studied the change of the initiation criterion values of ERA with the variation of the shaped jet jet penetrationpenetration normalnormal throughthrough experi experiments.ments. Helte Helte [15] [15 carried] carried out outa series a series of experiments of experiments on the on the penetrationpenetration of ERA of ERA by by the the shaped shaped jet jet of of the the pre-warhead,pre-warhead, and and found found that that the the shaped shaped jet formed jet formed by by the aluminathe alumina powder, powder, aluminum aluminum powder, powder, andand glassglass material material liner liner can can perforate perforate the theERA ERA without without causingcausing explosion. explosion. ThroughThrough the abovethe above literature literature research, research, it it cancan be found that that the the reaction reaction mechanism mechanism and andinitiation initiation criterioncriterion of the of shapedthe shaped jet to jet the to ERAthe ERA have have been been relatively relatively well well studied, studied, and and metal metal shaped shaped jetjet waswas used to damageused to ERA damage in most ERA ofin themost previous of the previous work. In wo therk. future In the developmentfuture development of weapons, of weapons, the warhead the mass,warhead economic mass, cost, economic initiation cost, safety, initiation and safety, other performanceand other performance indicators indicators will become will become more importantmore important factors. Therefore, this article takes the shaped charge-shaped charge type tandem factors. Therefore, this article takes the shaped charge-shaped charge type tandem warhead as the warhead as the research prototype and hopes to explore the application of low-density materials in researchthe prototypeshaped charge and warhead hopes to based explore on the the application damage effectiveness of low-density of a materialslow-density in shaped the shaped jet on charge warheadERA basedtargets. on the damage effectiveness of a low-density shaped jet on ERA targets. (a) (b) Figure 1. (a) Schematic diagram of the armor piercing-shaped charge type tandem warhead; and Figure 1. (a) Schematic diagram of the armor piercing-shaped charge type tandem warhead; (b) schematic diagram of the shaped charge-shaped charge type tandem warhead. and (b) schematic diagram of the shaped charge-shaped charge type tandem warhead. 2. Initiation Criteria of ERA 2. Initiation Criteria of ERA To initiate the ERA by shaped jet is actually to initiate the charge in between the sandwich Tostructure initiate (front the panel/sandwich ERA by shaped charge/rear jet is actually panel). Whether to initiate the the sandwiched charge in charge between can be the initiated sandwich structureby a (frontshaped panel/sandwich jet is affected by charge/rearthe following panel). factors: Whether the jet velocity, the sandwiched jet diameter, charge thickness can beof initiatedthe by asandwich shaped jet charge, is affected thickness by of the panels, following and the factors: material theof the jet shaped velocity, jet [16].