Numerical simulation analysis of petaling formation process of plate penetrated by sharp-nosed missile

  Objectives  The petaling of a ductile metal plate penetrated by a sharp-nosed missiles is a common damage mode. In order to analyze its formation process, numerical simulation is carried out.

  Methods  First, a simulation model of striking the metal plate by sharp-nosed missile is established on the basis of experiments involving missiles perforating targets, and the material constants are acquired from material mechanical characteristic experiments. The petaling procedure is then studied, as well as the stress states of typical elements in the petaling cracking area. The influence on the simulation results is subsequently contrasted by different failure criteria.

  Results  The results show that the petaling process is complex and can be mainly divided into four distinct stages:butterfly heaving, hole enlargement, petal appearance and expansion, and entire movement of damaged region. The stress states of the cracking area are complicated and the petaling shape cannot be sufficiently predicted by the constant strain criterion; this requires the introduction of the JC failure model which considers the influence of stress triaxiality.

  Conclusions  The results of this paper can provide references for the modification of typical petaling cracking theory and evaluation.