Eur. Phys. J. Special Topics 206, 129-137 (2012)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjst/e2012-01594-2

Regular Article

Modeling the ballistic response of the 14.5 mm BS41 projectile

¹ Southwest Research Institute, Minneapolis, MN 55416, USA
² U. S. Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005, USA

^a e-mail: tholmquist@swri.org

Received: 16 November 2011
Revised: 13 March 2012
Published online: 7 May 2012

Abstract

This article presents computed results of the U. S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) 14.5 mm BS41 projectile impacting steel targets with varying impact conditions. The ARL BS41 is a complex projectile that includes a soft metal jacket, lead filler, inert powder and a high-strength tungsten carbide (WC) core. The WC core includes a nominal 6 wt% cobalt binder (WC-.06Co) producing significant ductility in compression but very little in tension. Recent 3D numerical algorithm advancements and a more accurate material model for WC produce computed results that are in good agreement with experimental results. The computed results demonstrate the ability to reproduce several key observations: the stripping of the steel jacket, lead filler and inert powder when impacting thin and thick steel targets; rigid body penetration of the WC core into thin and thick steel targets for normal impact; severe fracture and fragmentation of the core when impacting obliquely; and core fracture due to a yaw angle at impact. The computed results may also explain why the core fractures at low obliquities and shatters at high obliquities. Experimental data are also discussed and compared to the computed results.