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Published on: March 29, 2016
Impact of composite soft-rigid elastic projectiles: A numerical study.
Christophe D'Angelo1, Guillaume Giombini1, Franck Celestini1
1Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Institut de Physique de Nice, 06200 Nice, France.
Numerical simulations reveal composite projectile impacts. A stiff leading part and soft trailing part minimize the coefficient of restitution, trapping energy and causing multiple bounces.
Area of Science:
- Physics
- Materials Science
- Mechanical Engineering
Background:
- Composite projectiles offer unique impact dynamics.
- Understanding energy transfer and restitution is crucial for impact mitigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To numerically investigate the impact of a two-part composite projectile on a rigid wall.
- To analyze the influence of mass and stiffness contrasts on impact outcomes.
Main Methods:
- One-dimensional numerical simulations of composite projectile impact.
- Systematic measurement of coefficient of restitution and contact time.
- Analysis of deformation wave propagation and energy trapping.
Main Results:
- Complex trends in restitution and contact time observed with varying material contrasts.
- Lowest coefficient of restitution (~0.2) occurs with a stiff leading part and soft trailing part.
- Increased proportion of the soft part leads to multiple bounces due to trapped energy.
Conclusions:
- Composite projectile impact dynamics are highly sensitive to internal material property gradients.
- Energy trapping in deformation modes significantly reduces the coefficient of restitution.
- Numerical framework successfully models real-world composite projectile impact experiments, including viscoelastic effects.
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