Numerical and experimental approach for the optimal design of a dual plate under ballistic impact

To predict the behavior of a dual plate composed of 5052-aluminum and 1002-cold rolled steel under ballistic impact, numerical and experimental approaches are attempted. For the accurate numerical simulation of the impact phenomena, the appropriate selection of the key parameter values based on numerical or experimental tests are critical. This study is focused on not only the optimization technique using the numerical simulation but also numerical and experimental procedures to obtain the required parameter values in the simulation. The Johnson-Cook model is used to simulate the mechanical behaviors, and the simplified experimental and the numerical approaches are performed to obtain the material properties of the model. The element erosion scheme for the robust simulation of the ballistic impact problem is applied by adjusting the element erosion criteria of each material based on numerical and experimental results. The adequate mesh size and the aspect ratio are chosen based on parametric studies. Plastic energy is suggested as a response representing the strength of the plate for the optimization under dynamic loading. Optimized thickness of the dual plate is obtained to resist the ballistic impact without penetration as well as to minimize the total weight.