Effect of projectile nose shape on ballistic resistance of multi-layered explosively welded plates

In the present study, the ballistic perforation resistance of steel/titanium/aluminum (STA) multilayer protective systems impacted by spherical, ogival, conical, and blunt projectiles was investigated experimentally, numerically, and analytically. The targets were manufactured via explosive welding technique to achieve a strong interfacial strength. The projectile nose shape was found to significantly affect the failure modes and ballistic limit velocities of the STA composite plate. Detailed three-dimensional finite element simulations were performed to provide insights into the penetration process and energy absorption characteristics of the STA composite plate. An analytical model was developed to predict the entry and exit penetration phases of a rigid projectile of different nose shapes into the STA target through ductile hole expansion. The model simplified the STA composite plate to be an equivalent monolithic based on the weighting of material resistance and specific cavitation energy in each layer. The analytical and numerical predictions of the residual velocity were in excellent agreement with the experimental data. The predicted evolution of projectile velocity with penetration depth was found to be in satisfactory correlation with those from the numerical simulation. The proposed analytical model shall be useful for designers of multilayer metallic protective structures against fragments from improvised explosive devices.