Modelling Self-Limiting Reactive Armour

Authors:

  • Magnus Bergh

Publish date: 2014-04-22

Report number: FOI-R--3676--SE

Pages: 24

Written in: Swedish

Keywords:

  • self-limiting reactive armour
  • SLERA
  • reactive armour
  • detonics
  • ignition and
  • growth

Abstract

Self-Limiting Reactive Armour (SLERA) utilizes insensitive energetic material to achieve a localized combustion suciently violent to disturb the penetrator but simultaneously limiting collateral damage. Analyzing or optimizing such a system with respect to geometry, energetic material etc. constitutes a formidable challange. An adequate computational model, together with relevant experiments, could provide a quantitative description of the mechanisms that determine a systems performance against a certain threat. In this report, we present ongoing work at FOI in which the goal is to construct such a model. In conclusion, the results indicate that hydrocode simulation could be a powerful tool for studying initiation and propagation phenomena as well as how these processes a ect the penetration for the case of shaped charge jet incident on SLERA. Suitable experiments of the interaction as well as for the calibration of Ignition and Growth parameters would, together with further model development, bring the current knowledge in the field to the next level. This would constitute an important step towards a capability that can predict penetration given type of threat, energetic material and geometry of the reactive system.