Penetration of a rigid shell into a steel obstacle at moderate impact velocities

The effect of the impact velocity and shape of the head of a rigid shell of caliber 20mm on the depth of its penetration into a thick obstacle made of mild low-carbon steel for impact velocities of up to 600m/sec is studied experimentally. Experimental relations between the penetration depth and the impact velocity are obtained for shells with conical and semispherical heads. It is found that for a penetration depth equal to 1 or 2 calibers, the penetration resistance does not depend on the head shape and is characterized by an average stress equal to 2.98GPa.