DISCONTINUITY IN THE ENERGY ABSORBED DURING BALLISTIC IMPACT IN ALUMINUM TARGETS

Ballistic experiments involving targets made of different types of aluminum were conducted using the principles of measuring the residual energy of projectiles after penetration to calculate the energy that was absorbed by the target during the impact. An interesting phenomenon of 1(st) order discontinuity in the form of a step-like jump was found, in which when we take the results of the absorbed energy against the impact energy, we receive a very good rising linear regressing. In some of the experiments, when we increase the impact energy past a certain value the energy absorbance of the target suddenly rises by up to 50%. After this jump the results are again aligned on a good rising regression line. Further testing was done in order to determine whether the jump is dependent on the impact velocity or the impact energy and if there is dependence in the thickness of the targets.