High-Velocity Impact Terminology
Concise reference for high-velocity impact terms — ballistic limit, perforation, penetration, plugging, petalling, spall, adiabatic shear, and more.
Key terms
- Ballistic limit: velocity at which perforation just occurs
- Penetration: projectile enters target without complete through-thickness passage
- Perforation: projectile passes completely through the target
- Plugging: shear-dominated failure producing a cylindrical slug
- Petalling: bending-and-tearing failure producing radial cracks and outward petals
- Spall: tensile failure at the rear surface from stress-wave reflection
- Ductile hole enlargement: hole formed by radial plastic flow without fragmentation
- Adiabatic shear band: narrow band of intense shear with local thermal softening
- Contact duration: time over which the projectile is in contact with the target
- Response time: characteristic time for the target to develop a global response
- Local response: deformation confined to the impact zone
- Global response: deformation extending to the supports
- Residual velocity: projectile velocity after perforation
- Residual strength: structural capacity after impact damage
- CAI: compression-after-impact — residual compressive strength of a composite after impact