Penetration Mechanics

 Oana Cazacu, Leader

Kinetic energy penetration phenomena are of interest in a variety of applications ranging from terminal ballistics to protection of spacecraft due to meteoroid impact, containment of high mass or high velocity debris due to accidents or high rate energy release, erosion and fracture of solids due to impact, etc. Our aim is to gain fundamental understanding of dominant physical phenomena occurring during penetration and develop capabilities (1) to predict damage of the target material ahead of the projectile; (2) to model initiation of instabilities and its relationship to projectile trajectory deviation. 

 Figure for Topic 2