Tungsten long-rod penetration into confined cylinders of boron carbide at and above ordnance velocities

The purpose was to investigate the influence of impact velocity and confinement on the resistance of boron carbide targets to the penetration of tungsten long-rod projectiles. Experimental tests with impact velocities from 1400 to 2600 m/s were performed using a two-stage light-gas gun and a reverse impact technique. The targets consisted of boron carbide cylinders confined by steel tubes of various thicknesses. Simulations were carried out using the AUTODYN-2D code and Johnson–Holmquistʹs constitutive model with and without damage evolution. The experimental results show that the penetration process had different character in three different regions. At low-impact velocities, no significant penetration occurred. At high-impact velocities, the relation between penetration velocity and impact velocity was approximately linear, and the penetration was steady and symmetrical. In between, there was a narrow transition region of impact velocities with intermittent and strongly variable penetration velocity. In the lower part of this region, extended lateral flow of the projectile took place on the surface of the target. The influence of confinement on penetration velocity was found to be small, especially at high-impact velocities. The simulated results for penetration velocity versus impact velocity agreed fairly well with the experimental results provided damage evolution was suspended below the transition region.