Hign-speed penetration of projectile with cavitator into sand

Cavitators are used in underwater projectiles design to form a cavern in which projectile could move with no or significantly reduced drag. An investigation of possible application of this structural element for penetration into porous media was conducted. High-speed impact of a conical-shaped head projectile with cavitator was studied in terms of its influence on penetration capacity and projectile stability in sand for impact velocity about 1500 m/s. Cavitators were manufactured of steel with different strength moduli, and thus two penetration regimes (with eroding/non-eroding cavitator) were compared. Numerical simulations showing wave propagation in target and projectile were performed in AUTODYN with Johnson-Cook model for projectile and granular model for sand.