International Journal of Impact Engineering 24 (2000) 947} 955

A semi-analytical model for truncated-ogive-nose projectiles

penetration into semi-in"nite concrete targets
Qian Lixin *, Yang Yunbin , Liu Tong 

Institute of Structural Mechanics, CAEP, P.O. Box 521, Chengdu, 610003, People's Republic of China

Science School, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, P.O. Box 210014, People+s Republic of China
Received 16 September 1999; received in revised form 16 December 1999

Abstract

The study on the truncated-ogive-nose projectile penetration into semi-in"nite concrete targets is de-
scribed in this paper. With reference to Forrestal's force model of ogive-nose projectile, semi-analytical
penetration equations are developed by introducing a resistance constant which takes into account the
truncation e!ect of the ogive-nose projectile on penetration. The semi-analytical model is shown to be in
good correlation with limited recently published experimental results.  2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All
rights reserved.

Keywords: Truncated-ogive-nose projectile; Concrete target; Penetration; Semi-analytical equations

1. Introduction

Because of the complexity of a concrete medium (with random distribution of gravel), it is

di$cult to develop a relatively accurate material model for predicting the projectile penetration
and destruction of concrete target with numerical method. Since the cracks, the spalling from the
impact face and the scabbing from the rear surface of the target occur randomly during the
projectile penetration into concrete target, it is also di$cult to develop an e!ective model for
the failure and destruction of concrete target. As Barr [1] points out, further work needs to be done
before the code can be used as a design tool. On the other hand, the empirical and analytical
models have been developed and widely used since the 1940s [2].
The majority of the empirical formulas [3] from published work can be classi"ed as penetration
into "nite and semi-in"nite concrete targets. Among the formulas for "nite and semi-in"nite

* Corresponding author.

0734-743X/00/$ - see front matter  2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
PII: S 0 7 3 4 - 7 4 3 X ( 0 0 ) 0 0 0 0 8 - 7
948 Q. Lixin et al. / International Journal of Impact Engineering 24 (2000) 947} 955

Fig. 1. Truncated-ogive-nose geometry.

targets, NDRC formula [2] is generally regarded as the most acceptable. In recent years, Forrestal
[4}6] developed an analytical prediction model for ogive-nose projectile penetration into semi-
in"nite concrete target based on cavity-expansion theory. Beside the relatively accurate predicting
capability, the model can also give the time histories of resistance and motion (displacement,
velocity and acceleration) of the projectile during penetration [7] and its equations are not from the
curve-"ts with test data but from the mathematical derivation based on the physical relations.
In this paper, with reference to the Forrestal force equation on the projectile nose, a semi-
analytical model is developed for truncated-ogive-nose projectile penetration into semi-in"nite
concrete target by introducing a resistant constant which takes account of the truncation e!ect of
projectile nose on penetration. The model is compared with some recently obtained experimental
data and discussed.

2. The development of the model

As common analytical method, it is assumed that the projectile strikes the target normally and
has no deformation during penetration (rigid body assumption).

2.1. Penetration depth equations

The shape of the truncated-ogive-nose projectile is shown in Fig. 1, in which the a, s, r are,
respectively, the radii of the shank, the ogive and the truncated part of the projectile; ¸ is the total
length of the ogive-nose; l is the length of truncated part, then
l"[s!(s!a)]![s!(s!a#r)]. (1)
It has been found from experiments [4,8] of the ogive-nose projectile penetration into a concrete
target that, the cavity after penetration is a conical crater region followed by a tunnel region. It is
published in Ref. [4] that the thickness of the crater region is 4a (two projectile shank diameters)
and the force on the projectile nose is
F"cz, 0(z(4a, (2a)
 Q. Lixin et al. / International Journal of Impact Engineering 24 (2000) 947} 955 949

F"na(Sf  #No<), 4a(z(P, (2b)

A
8W!1
N" , (3)
24W
where c is a constant; z is measured from the target surface; P is the "nal penetration depth; S is
a dimensionless empirical constant; f is the uncon"ned compressive strength of concrete; o is the
A
density of concrete target; < is the velocity of projectile; W is the caliber-radius-head (CRH) of the
ogive-nose:
s
W" . (4)
2a
As for the truncated-ogive-nose projectile, a resistance coe$cient c is introduced to the force on the
projectile nose in consideration of the truncation e!ect on penetration.
A r
c"1#K "1#K , (5)
A a
where, A is the cross-section areas of the shank; A is the end face area of the truncated part; K is
resistance constant which is determined by experiment. Additionally in accordance with our
experimental result [9] and the result in Ref. [8], the thickness of the spalling region is approxim-
ately 3a}5a. Therefore, the thickness of the crater region in this model is de"ned as 0)z(ka
(k"3&5). Since a sudden change in resistance exists at the time when the truncated-ogive-nose
projectile strikes the target, it is considered that z"0 and F"ccl, and then, the force function on
the projectile is
F"cc(z#l ), 0)z(ka, (6a)
F"cna(Sf #No<), ka)z(P. (6b)
A
If the projectile mass is m, from Newton's second law
dz
m "!cc(z#l ), 0)z(ka. (7)
dt
with the initial condition z(t"0)"0 and <(t"0)"< , Eq. (7) has the following solutions for the
Q
projectile displacement, velocity and acceleration:
<
z"l cos ut# Q sin ut!l, 0)z(ka, (8a)
u
dz
<" "!lu sin ut#< cos ut, 0)z(ka, (8b)
dt Q
d< dz
" "!lu cos ut!< u sin ut, 0)z(ka, (8c)
dt dt Q
cc
u" . (8d)
m
950 Q. Lixin et al. / International Journal of Impact Engineering 24 (2000) 947} 955

If the time and the velocity when the penetration depth z"ka are, respectively, de"ned as t and

< , it can be obtained from the conditions of continuity of force and Eqs. (6) and (8) that

!lmu cos ut !< um sin ut "!cna(Sf #No< ), z"ka, (9a)
 Q  A 
!lu sin ut #< cos ut "< , z"ka, (9b)
 Q  
<
l cos ut # Q sin ut "ka#l, z"ka. (9c)
 u 
Solving the simultaneous equations (9a)}(9c) gives

 
(ka#l )m<!paSf (kac#2kalc) 
< " Q A , (10a)
 (kac#2kalc)paNo#(ka#l )m
arccos[(m< < #cpal(Sf #No< ))/(ccl#<m)]
t "  Q A  Q , (10b)
 (cc/m)
na
c" (Sf #No< ). (10c)
ka#l A 
The penetration depth in the tunnel region is found from
dz d< cpa
"< "! (Sf  #No<), ka)z(P. (11)
dt dz m A
The "nal penetration depth is obtained by integrating (11) from V to 0 and ka to P



m No<
P" ln 1#  #ka, P'ka (12)
2paoNc Sf 
A
From Eq. (5), the resistance constant of the truncated-ogive-nose projectile is
a
K" (c!1). (13)
r
The concept of the constant K is the ratio of the resistance of the truncated-ogive-nose to that of the
ogive-nose. Since the increment of the resistance coe$cient c is proportional to the area of the
truncated-ogive-nose, the magnitude of the resistance constant K is weakly dependent on the
length of the truncated part and can be considered as relatively stable.

2.2. Equations of projectile motion

Equations for the crater region are given by (8a)}(8c). For the tunnel region
d<
m "!cna(Sf  #No<), ka)z(P. (14)
dt A
The velocity as a function of time is obtained through the integration of (14).

  
  
Sf   No  cna
<" A tan arctan < ! (Sf No)(t!t ) , ka)z(P. (15)
No Sf   m A 
A
 Q. Lixin et al. / International Journal of Impact Engineering 24 (2000) 947} 955 951

Fig. 2. Dimensionless empirical constant versus uncon"ned compressive strength [6].

The acceleration as a function of time is given by

d< !(cnaSf  /m)

a" " A , ka)z(P. (16)
dt cos+arctan[(No/Sf )< ]!(nac/m)(Sf No)(t!t ),
A  A 
The displacement as a function of time is given by

 
m cos+arctan[(No/Sf )< ]!(cna/m)(Sf No)(t!t ),
z" ln A  A  #ka,
cnaNo cos+arctan[(No/Sf )< ],
A 
ka)z(P. (17)

and then, all the equations for the penetration and motion of the truncated-ogive-nose projectile at
the crater region (0)z(ka) and at the tunnel region (ka)z(P) have been derived. More
complicated forms of the force model on truncated-ogive-nose projectile were considered at "rst,
but there was no explicit solution for corresponding equations.
It should be noted that there are two special cases in the model for truncated-ogive-nose
projectile penetration. They are the ogive-nose projectile with the length of the truncated part as
0 and cylindrical projectile with the length of the truncated part as ¸. It can be seen that, for the
former, l"0 and c"1 when k"4 and r"0, the model agrees with the result in Ref. [4]. For the
latter, the projectile has no ogive-nose, but the equations are related to the CRH value of the
ogive-nose, so, great error would be introduced into the prediction process and the value of CRH
cannot be determined. In addition, the prediction precision decreases as the length of the truncated
nose increases, so it would be better that the length of the truncated part is less than L/3.
The constant S in the model is determined with the result in Ref. [6] (see Fig. 2) and the value of
k can be determined according to speci"c or particular test. If there is no test for reference, a mean
value of 4 is given.
952 Q. Lixin et al. / International Journal of Impact Engineering 24 (2000) 947} 955

Fig. 3. Geometry of a 0.282 kg truncated-ogive-nose projectile.

Table 1
Penetration data for the nominally 0.282 kg projectiles [8,9]

Shot number Projectile mass (kg) Striking velocity (m/s) Penetration depth (mm)

1-I3-1 0.284 338 93

1-I3-2 0.277 339 95
1-I4-1 0.284 415 120
1-I4-2 0.281 417 120
1-I5-1 0.279 523 155
1-I5-2 0.284 491 145
1-I6-1 0.282 600 205
1-I6-2 0.280 613 195

3. Correlation with some recently obtained experimental data and discussion

Experiments of truncated-ogive-nose projectiles penetration into concrete target were used to

validate the prediction model and test data of two kinds of projectile were used to determine the
value of K.

3.1. Penetration of 0.282 kg projectile into 30 MPa concrete target [8,9]

The dimension of the projectile is shown in Fig. 3. The projectile was launched with a smooth-
bore gun of 25-mm-diameter. The projectile velocity was measured with EM coil and target mesh.
The penetration process was recorded with high-speed camera. The thickness of the concrete target
was 400 mm and the size of the target face was 600 mm;600 mm. The experiment result is shown
in Table 1. Fig. 4 shows a comparison between the test data and the prediction result.

3.2. Penetration of a 7.85 kg projectile into a 32 MPa concrete target [9]

The dimension of the projectile is shown in Fig. 5. The projectile was launched with a smooth-
bore gun of 85-mm-diameter. The projectile velocity was measured with photodiode and target
mesh. The thickness of the concrete target was 400 mm, beneath which was compacted with
cobblestone layer, the size of the target face was 3.2 m;3.2 m. Because of the low impact
 Q. Lixin et al. / International Journal of Impact Engineering 24 (2000) 947} 955 953

Fig. 4. Penetration data and model prediction for 0.282 kg projectile.

Fig. 5. Geometry of a 7.85 kg truncated-ogive-nose projectile.

Fig. 6. Penetration data and model prediction for 7.85 kg projectile with f "32 MPa, S"13, K"1.5.
A
954 Q. Lixin et al. / International Journal of Impact Engineering 24 (2000) 947} 955

Fig. 7. Displacement, velocity and deceleration versus time predictions for 7.85 kg projectile penetrating into semi-
in"nite concrete target with f "32 MPa, S"13, K"1.5.
A

velocity (290 m/s), the target was considered as a semi-in"nite target. The "nal penetration depth
was 316 mm. The test data and the prediction result are shown in Fig. 6, and the time history curves
of displacement, velocity and deceleration of the projectile are shown in Fig. 7.

3.3. Determination of the resistance constant K

The value of K was determined to be 1.5 through comparison (least-squares procedure) of the test
data and the prediction result for the above two projectiles.
 Q. Lixin et al. / International Journal of Impact Engineering 24 (2000) 947} 955 955

4. Conclusions

A semi-analytical model has been developed in this paper for predicting the penetration of
truncated-ogive-nose projectile into a semi-in"nite concrete target by using the modi"ed Forrestal
force model on the projectile nose through the introduction of a resistant constant. The resistance
constant of the modi"ed model has been determined to be 1.5 according to the test data of two
projectiles. It was shown that the model correlates well with the limited recently published
experimental data.
With the semi-analytical model, the penetration depth of the truncated-ogive-nose projectile into
a semi-in"nite concrete target and the time histories of displacement, velocity and acceleration of
the projectile can be described. The semi-analytical model is expressed as self-contained equations
and does not depend on dimension, which is most likely to be applicable for truncated-ogive-nose
projectiles with the truncated part being less than L/3.

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