AN UPPER LIMIT FOR THE PENETRATION PERFORMANCE OF SEGMENTED RODS WITH SEGMENT-L/D LESS-THAN-OR-EQUAL-TO-1

This study investigates the question of whether the penetration performance of a segmented rod penetrator with segment-L/D less-than-or-equal-to 1 can exceed that of a uniform density continuous rod of equal mass, length (including spaces), diameter and velocity (''comparison rod''). The answer, based on experimental, computational and analytical data published to-date, is negative. The well-known fact that segmented rods penetrate better than their so-called ''parent rods'' (rods of equal mass, diameter and velocity and a length equal to the sum of segment lengths only), together with findings presented here, limits the penetration performance of segmented rods to P(parent rod) < P(segmented rod) < P(comparison rod). The limitations of the data base used here may limit the generality of the findings: in particular, the database is fairly small, only unyawed, normal impacts at velocities of 2 km/s and higher are included, and, with few exceptions, only tungsten segments and steel targets were studied.