Penetration prediction of missiles with different nose shapes by the discrete element numerical approach

A three dimensional numerical model based on the discrete element method (DEM) is developed to predict the penetration depth caused by a non-deformable missile against a reinforced concrete slab. Initial calibration of the model was done with a series of flat-nose missile tests. Additional simulations were performed with varying shapes for the missile’s nose. The present numerical model is compared to experimental test data provided by the French Atomic Energy Agency (CEA) and the French Electrical power Company (EDF). For thin concrete slabs, the evolution of the penetration depth in terms of the nose shape predicted by the DEM agrees more with the experimental data than the evolution predicted by Chen and Li’s empirical law.