Research on kinetic energy attenuation mechanism and characteristics of JPC penetrator under water

Shaped charge technology is widely used in seabed resource exploitation and marine military fields, and its penetration efficiency is directly affected by water. In this research, experiments, numerical simulations, and theoretical analyses were conducted to study the kinetic attenuation characteristics of underwater penetration. Through the penetration experiment of JPC into the liquid-filled structure, the penetration duration and perforation diameter under typical conditions were obtained. Based on numerical simulation, the kinetic energy attenuation mechanism was analyzed, and the simulation results were consistent with the experimental results. By combining the penetrator-water impact response, the penetrator deformation and erosion, an analytical model for the kinetic energy attenuation was proposed. The formation characteristics of JPC and the kinetic energy attenuation process with different liner circle radius and thicknesses were obtained through simulations, and the simulation results were in good agreement with the prediction results of the analytical model. Based on the analytical model, further research on the individual influence of penetrator intrinsic characteristics (e.g., morphology and velocity gradient) on kinetic energy attenuation is investigated. The results can provide important references for the design of underwater shaped charge warheads.