Numerical and analytical investigations on projectile perforation on steel–concrete–steel sandwich panels

Abstract

Steel–concrete–steel (SCS) sandwich panels have been achieving increasing attention due to its good impact resistant performance, but there still lacks related research concerning analytical model for SCS perforation. In this paper, numerical and analytical investigations were performed to study the impact resistance of SCS sandwich panels against rigid projectile penetration. FE simulations of concrete-steel perforation were conducted to validate the numerical model in terms of projectile residual velocity and damage mode. With same concrete core, five thickness combinations of front and rear steel plates were numerically studied to explore the sandwich structural effect on the perforation responses. Utilizing spherical cavity expansion analysis and plates petalling theory, a semi-empirical analytical model was developed to describe the perforation on SCS sandwich panels, which was characterized with 7 penetration stages. Agreement was reached between numerical simulation and theoretical model in terms of both projectile deceleration history and residual velocity. On the perspective of structurally absorbed energy, the thickness combinations of front and rear steel plate were further analyzed and discussed. For the same thickness, the rear steel plate was found to consume more energy than the front plate, which provides better protection against projectile impact loadings.

Keywords

• SCS sandwich panels
• FE simulation
• Cavity expansion analysis
• Petalling of steel plates
• Energy consumption