Fragmentation statistics from Eulerian hydrocode calculations

Abstract

In this paper, we discuss a procedure for computing discrete fragmentation information for terminal ballistics events from the continuum data that emerges from two-dimensional Eulerian hydrocode simulations of these events. The present examples deal with the normal impact of lead cylinders on lead plates at velocities below 1600 m/s. In this regime, the resulting debris is almost exclusively solid lead fragments. We have experimental data of sufficient accuracy to evaluate the extraction of such fragmentation information from code simulations. The problem is interesting because the observed distribution of fragment size would require extreme subgrid resolution in the hydrocode if the statistics were computed directly. Our approach is different. We ask whether or not the general continuum description predicted by the code contains enough information to allow coupling of an analytic fragmentation theory that successfully predicts fragmentation statistics. We believe that this approach is valid, and discuss our current success in matching experimental data. © 1990.