Non-normal impact of earth penetrators

A brief literature review of the general subject of projectile penetration into soil media is presented. Particular emphasis is placed on projectiles impacting soil targets at other than normal incidence and/or at an angle of attack, for which lateral accelerations exist and can dominate the structural response. Comparisons of predicted lateral accelerations with recent earth penetrator experiments are then made using a 3 degree-of-freedom rigid-body approach developed elsewhere to determine the external penetrator loading. Agreement between experimental and calculated accelerations is favorable, but the need to include flexible-body response is indicated. Finally a scheme to incorporate a spherical-cavity-expansion analytical procedure into a detailed finite element model of the penetrator is developed to account for flexible-body response