Influence of Projectile Material Properties on Crater Size and Ejecta of Thick Aluminum Alloy 6061-T6 Targets in Hypervelocity Impact

Abstract

The effects of projectile material properties on crater shape and ejecta in thick aluminum alloy 6061-T6 targets were investigated at velocities ranging from approximately 0.5 to 6 km/s. The projectile density affected the crater depth, but the projectiles hardness did not affect it. At the impact velocity of 6 km/s, the density of projectiles clearly affected the mass and size of ejecta fragments. The impact velocity clearly affected the diameter of ejecta rings. The ejecta ring diameter of metal projectiles was almost the same.