HYDROCODE SIMULATIONS OF HYPERVELOCITY IMPACTS ON A DUCTILE IRON

Abstract

To prepare for two NASA missions, Southwest Research Institute has been performing both laboratory tests and hydrocode computations of impacts at velocities between 2 and 5.5 km/s on rocks like pumice, sandstone, hematite, concrete, and on metals like aluminum and pure iron (ARMCO iron). All the targets were mounted on pendulums so that the momentum imparted by the projectile to the target could be measured. Note that, in general, the momentum acquired by the target after the impact is larger than the momentum of the projectile. This is due to the additional momentum from the ejecta that flies off the target in the opposite direction to the direction of the impact. Hydrocode computations with CTH and EPIC followed the experiments. This paper will present the laboratory results specifically on ARMCO iron, a material considered a “benchmarkâ€, and the strength and weaknesses of the computations performed.