Hypervelocity impact simulations of Whipple shields

The problem associated with protecting space vehicles from space debris impact is described. Numerical simulation is espoused as a useful complement to experimentation: as a means to help understand and describe the hypervelocity impact phenomena. The capabilities of a PC-based hydrocode, ZeuS, are described, for application to the problem of hypervelocity impact. Finally, results of ZeuS simulations, as applied to the problem of bumper shield impact, are presented and compared with experimental results

Impact and Ricochet of a High Speed Projectile from a Plate

A computational study of a projectile (either 2024 aluminum or TiAl6V4 titanium alloy) impacting a plate (either titanium alloy or aluminum) is presented in this paper. Projectile velocity (ranging from 250 m/s to 1500 m/s) with varying impact angles are considered. The presence of ricochet (if any) is identified over the ranges of the projectile velocity and impact angle considered. For the cases where ricochet is identified, the ricochet angle and velocity are predicted as functions of the incident angle and the incident velocity. The numerical results are compared with an analytical solution of the ricochet problem. The analytical solutions are from a model developed to predict the ballistic ricochet of a projectile (projectile) penetrator. The dynamics and the deformation of an aluminum (or a titanium alloy) projectile impacting on a finite thickness titanium alloy (or aluminum) plate are simulated. The current work is interesting in that it looks in the field of ballistics of different material combinations than are traditionally studied. The present simulations based on detailed material models for the aluminum and the titanium alloy and the impact physics modelling features in the LS-DYNA code provide interesting details regarding the projectile/plate deformations and post-impact projectile shape and geometry. The present results indicate that for no cases (for specified incoming velocities and impact angles considered) can an aluminum projectile penetrate a titanium alloy plate. The ricochet ‘mode predictions ‘obtained from the present simulations agree well with the ricochet ‘mode predictions’ given in an analytical model