Elastic–plastic modelling of shaped charge jet penetration

Abstract

This paper concerns the mathematical modelling of high-rate penetration of a metal target by a shaped charge device that produces a high-velocity jet. A key objective is to predict the penetration velocity, be it subsonic, transonic or supersonic. We do this by considering, on the local scale near the tip of the penetrated cavity, an elastic–plastic free boundary problem that takes into account the residual stresses produced by the moving plasticized region of the target. It is the self-consistency of this elastic–plastic model that dictates predictions for the penetration velocity.