Analysis of dynamic failure of plastic spherical shells under local impact

The nonlinear dynamic response of the thin plastic spherical shell under impact induced by a flat-nosed cylinder was studied. By introducing isometric transformation, the deformation mode of spherical shell was given and the governing equation of motion of the rigid-plastic spherical shell was derived by energy balance, which is first-order nonlinear differential equation. The equation was solved by Runge-Kutta method. The maximum impact force, dimple radius and deflection at the central point with time under different initial velocity were given. It has been shown that the theoretical results are in agreement with experimental data.