Ballistic limit of aluminium tank: An experimental study

This paper presents the details of experimental set-up to determine the ballistic limit for the aluminium tank for two cases, empty and water-filled tank. The experiment was carried out at Science and Technology Research Institute for Defense (STRIDE) Batu Arang. The aluminum tank was 3 mm thick, 150 mm wide and 750 mm long. At the end of the tank were closed with two Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) windows. Silicone was used to seal the contact between the end of the tank and PMMA. Four steel bars used to fix the windows to the tank. Fragment simulating projectile (FSP) was used to the impact the aluminium tank. The velocity varied from 239 m/s to 972 m/s. Among results obtained were ballistic limit for the front and rear of the tank, correlation between impact velocity versus residual velocity, damage area, wall deflection, velocity drop and terminal ballistic for empty and water-filled tank.