Experimental Investigation into the Dynamic Plastic Response and Perforation of a Clamped Circular Plate Struck Transversely by a Mass

Abstract

An experimental investigation is reported on the dynamic response of a clamped circular plate struck transversely by a mass at any point along a radial line. A study is made of the variation of the failure mode with a change of striker diameter-plate thickness ratio, together with an assessment of transverse shear effects and the energy-absorbing capacity for impact velocities up to 12.2 m/s. The experimental results show that the steel and aluminium alloy targets fail by plugging with a plug having approximately the same diameter as the striker, which has a blunt end. The experimental results also show that the energy-absorbing capacity of a plate is reduced significantly when struck by a mass close to the supports compared to a strike at the centre and that the transverse shear force plays a more dominant role when a mass strikes close to the supports. A new criterion for the design of metal targets against projectile impact is proposed.