THE FORMATION AND STRETCHING OF BI-MATERIAL SHAPED

CHARGE JETS

J.P. Curtis∗ , F.T. Smith† and A.H. White†

∗
Present Affiliation AWE, Aldermaston, Reading, RG7 4PR, UK.
†
Department of Mathematics, UCL, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.

Abstract. The equations for the formation of a bi-material jet from a laminated shaped charge liner are
presented. A coupled pair of boundary-value problems is then established for an idealised stretching jet in
cases where the outer material occupies a hollow uniform cylinder surrounding the inner material in the
uniform hollow. This is done first where the materials are inviscid fluids. Making the assumption that the
axial velocity in each part of the jet is the same and linearly decreasing from the front to the rear of the
composite jet, solutions for the pressure field in each part are obtained. The problem is then reformulated
where the two materials are both perfectly plastic solids but with differing densities and yield strengths. The
equations of plastic flow (Levy-Mises with von-Mises yield criterion) are solved for each material to derive
the stress field in both parts of the jet. These analytical solutions offer a basis for future stability and target
penetration studies.
Keywords: shaped charge, bimaterial liner, plasticity, potential flow, jets, formation, elongation, stretching
PACS: 46.35.+z 47.15.km 47.15.Uv

INTRODUCTION Curtis and Cornish [3] generalised the classical work

Why bother to model stretching bi-material jets? The
answer to this question is that such jets can poten-
tially have advantages over jets formed by detonation
of shaped charges with liners comprised of a single
material. What might these advantages be?
One possibility is that an outer layer of one mate-
rial surrounding the core jet made of another material
could be used to control the break-up of the jet. The
effect might be either to hasten break-up, leading to
shorter, fatter jet particles, or to delay it, resulting in a
very long jet. The benefits would be to enhance crater
radius or to increase penetration depth respectively.
Another possible application is to deliver a reac-
tive interior material at a desired penetration depth
into the target.
Various authors have investigated bimetallic lin-
ers. Walters and Zukas [1] describe work done prior
to 1989. Later Chanteret and Lichtenberger [2] stud-
ied the issue of coherency of bimetallic jet liners.
of Pugh, Eichelberger and Rostoker [4] to consider
the formation of jets from linear shaped charge liners
consisting of multiple layers of different materials.
In this paper we consider axisymmetric bi-
material jets in which a solid core of one material
is surrounded by another material with different
material properties. We present the equations for
jet formation derived from [3], adapted for axisym-
metry. The formation model calculates the radii of
the core and outer surface of the bi-material jet. In
real jets the radius of the jet varies along its length.
However, in this first model we shall investigate a
bi-material jet of uniform core and outer radii.
For jets of a single material the solution for the
stress field in the jet for a jet of uniform radius
gives useful insights and has served as the basis
for instability and break-up studies (cf. Curtis [5,
6], Pack [7], Romero [8], Frankel and Weihs [9],
Littlefield [10]). Both potential flow and plastic flow
models were investigated: here we do the analogous

Shock Compression of Condensed Matter - 2011

AIP Conf. Proc. 1426, 116-119 (2012); doi: 10.1063/1.3686235
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 analyses for a bi-material jet to find the stress field in coordinate system, in the (r, θ , z) directions respec-
each material. tively. The subsequent analysis assumes that v = 0.
For the potential flow case the components of
velocity take the simplified form wi = ∂ φi /∂ z, ui =
FORMATION OF THE BI-MATERIAL JET ∂ φi /∂ r, where the subscript i takes the values 1 and
2 and will do so throughout, corresponding to the
Consider an element of the bi-material liner as de- inner and outer regions respectively. Note here that
picted in Figure 1 located at axial distance x from the the inner layer of the liner becomes the outer part of
apex, where the radii to the inner and outer layers the jet. The continuity equation in each of the regions
are r1 and r2 . There are contributions to the mass of is given by
the element from both the inner and outer layers of  
1 ∂ r ∂ φi ∂ 2 φi
the liner. Curtis and Kelly [11] show that the mass + 2 = 0. (4)
rates at which the inner and outer liner layer mate- r ∂r ∂r ∂z
rials are projected and arrive at the stagnation point Now assuming a linear velocity profile in z, w1 =
are respectively V z/L, the velocity potential in the inner region may
be derived as
ṁ1 = 2πρ1 r1 d1 sec(θ )ẋ = ρ1 A1U, (1)
V
φ1 = (2z2 − r2 ) + H(t), (5)
and 4L
ṁ2 = 2πρ2 r2 d2 sec(θ )ẋ = ρ2 A2U. (2) where the function H(t) is as yet unknown. From (5)
The time derivatives apply at the stagnation point. the form of the velocity component u1 = −V r/2L.
The speed U is likewise relative to the stagnation The evolution of the inner jet radius is given by
point and equations (1) and (2) determine the appro-  
priate areas of the incoming streams associated with V t −1/2
a(t) = a(0) 1 + . (6)
the respective layers. L(0)
It is shown by Curtis and Cornish [3] that if a bi- Assuming axial symmetry the momentum equations
material jet forms then the area of the outer jet is A1 , take the form
while that of the inner core is given by equation (15)
of [3] with the number of materials set to 2: ∂ u1 ∂ u1 ∂ u1 1 ∂p
+ u1 + w1 =− , (7)
∂t ∂r ∂z ρ1 ∂ r
ρ2 A2 (1 − cos(β )) − ρ1 A1 (1 + cos(β ))
AC = , (3) ∂ w1 ∂ w1 ∂ w1 1 ∂p
2ρ2 + u1 + w1 =− . (8)
∂t ∂r ∂z ρ1 ∂ z
where β is the collapse angle, as shown in Figure 1.
Hence for an axisymmetric bi-material jet the in-
ner core radius a and radius b of the outer surface will
be related to the jet formation process by π a2 = AC
and π (b2 − a2 ) = A1 . Having shown how bi-material
jets are formed we now proceed to develop our so-
lutions for stretching bi-material jets in potential and
plastic flow.

BI-MATERIAL JET IN POTENTIAL FLOW FIGURE 1. A half-section of a bi-material liner is

Consider a jet of length L(t) = L(0) + Vt, along the
z-axis (the x-axis in the formation analysis above),
where V is the velocity difference between the tip
and the tail of the jet. The velocity components are
(u, v, w) representing the velocity in the cylindrical
shown. The element of the liner of axial length travels
along the arrow to contribute to the formation of the bi-
material jet at time t. Radii r1 and r2 are used in calculating
the masses of the element portions in the inner and outer
layers of the liner respectively. The collapse angle is to be
determined as for a liner comprising a single material. A
schematic of the actual flow of the materials is indicated.

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 Substitution of the expressions for u1 and w1 into (7) and a1z = 0, hence the right hand side of (13) van-
yields the pressure in the inner layer ishes. The Levy-Mises equations are
3ρ1V 2 r2 ∂ u1 (1) (1) V (1)
p1 = − + θ1 (z,t). (9) = λ1 (2σrr − σθ θ − σzz ) = − ,(15)
8L2 ∂r 2L
Then the axial momentum equation (8) implies that u1 (1) (1) (1) V
= λ1 (2σθ θ − σzz − σrr ) = − ,(16)
the pressure gradient in the z-direction vanishes. r 2L
Thus p1 = λ1 (r,t), confirming the unknown function ∂ w1 (1) (1) (1) V
= λ1 (2σzz − σrr − σθ θ ) = , (17)
in (9) is a function of t only, θ1 = θ1 (t). ∂z L
A similar analysis is performed in the outer region,
where again the velocity is assumed to be linear in ∂ u1 ∂ w1 (1)
+ = 6λ1 σrz . (18)
the z-direction, w2 = V z/L. This again leads to an ∂z ∂r
expression for the pressure, which coupled with the (1)
The final equation gives σrz = 0, hence from (13)
fact that p2 = 0 on r = b(t), leads to (1) (1) (1)
we find ∂ σzz /∂ z = 0, leaving σzz = σzz (r,t). The
3ρ2V 2 2 Von-Mises yield criterion is given by
p2 = (b (t) − r2 ). (10)
8L2
(1) (1) (1) (1)
Here b(t) satisfies an equation similar to (6). Equat- (σrr − σθ θ )2 + (σθ θ − σzz )2 +
(1) (1) (1)2
ing the pressures for the inner and outer regions at (σzz − σrr )2 + 6σrz = 2Y12 , (19)
r = a(t) gives the following form for the inner pres-
sure: where Y1 is the yield strength. It is also found from
(1) (1)
3V 2   (15) and (16) that σrr = σθ θ . Hence on integration
p1 = ρ1 (a2 − r2 ) + ρ2 (b2 − a2 ) . (11) of equation (14) and using equation (19)
8L2
Figure 2 shows the evolution of pressure with time. (1) (1) (1) 3ρ1V 2 r2
σrr = σθ θ = σzz −Y1 = +C1 (t). (20)
8L2

BI-MATERIAL JET IN PLASTIC FLOW The as yet unknown function C1 (t) is determined
from the outer solution. For the outer cylinder the
The analysis for the plastic flow case takes a similar velocity field which satisfies the continuity equation
form to that of the potential flow. Considering first and matches at the position r(t) = a must be u2 =
the inner cylinder and again assuming a linear veloc- −V r/2L, w2 = V z/L. The Levy-Mises equations are
ity profile in the z-direction, w1 = V z/L, the momen- of the same form as (15)-(18) with subscript and
tum equations are superscript 2 replacing 1 everywhere.
It may readily be shown that the outer stresses are
(1) (1) (1) (1)
∂ σrr ∂ σrz σrr − σrz
+ + = ρ1 a1r , (12) 3ρ2V 2  2 
∂r ∂z r (2) (2)
σrr = σθ θ = σzz −Y1 =
(2)
r − b2 . (21)
(1) (1) (1) 8L2
∂ σrz ∂ σzz σrz
+ + = ρ1 a1z , (13) By matching the radial stresses at r = a(t), the inner
∂r ∂z r
stresses are now fully determined:
the corresponding accelerations are given as in the
left hand side of (7) and (8). (1) (1) (1)
Again simplified forms of the velocity compo- σrr = σθ θ = σzz −Y2 =
nents can be found from the continuity equation and 3V 2  
substituted into the momentum equations. As before ρ1 (r2 − a2 ) + ρ2 (a2 − b2 ) . (22)
8L2
the radial velocity component is u1 = −V r/2L. Sub-
stituting into (12) leads to Figure 3 shows the evolution of the axial stress with
time. The other components are as in Figure 2.
(1) (1) (1) (1)
∂ σrr ∂ σrz σrr − σθ θ 3ρ1V 2 r
+ + = . (14)
∂r ∂z r 4L2

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 8
x 10 For both potential and plastic flows we have de-
1

0
rived closed form analytical solutions. The plastic
flow analysis differs from the potential flow analy-
−1
sis in that there is a discontinuity in the axial stress
−2 resulting from the presence of the non-zero yield
strengths in each material.
p (Pa)

−3

−4

−5
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
−6

−7 John Curtis is grateful for the support of a Royal

−8
0 0.005 0.01 0.015
Society Industry Fellowship held at UCL.
r(t) (m)

FIGURE 2. The pressure for the potential flow case

where the two materials are copper (outer) and aluminium
REFERENCES
(inner), with densities 8960 and 2700 kg m−3 respectively.
Plots are shown from bottom to top at t = 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 1. Walters, W.P. and Zukas, J.A., Fundamentals of
10μ s, with initial radii given by a(0) = 0.005 and b(0) = Shaped Charges, Wiley, (1987).
0.0015m. The initial velocity difference V = 5000ms−1 . 2. Chanteret, P. Y. and Lichtenberger, A., Bimetallic
Liners and Coherence of Shaped Charge Jets, Proc.
15th Int. Symp. Ballistics, Jerusalem, Israel, Vol.2,
8
6
x 10 pp. 143-150, 1995.
3. Curtis, J.P. and Cornish, R., Formation Model for
4 Shaped Charge Liners Comprising Multiple Layers of
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2 San Antonio, Texas, USA, Vol. 1, pp. 458-465, 1999.
4. Pugh, E.M., Eichelberger, R.J. and Rostoker N.,
(Pa)

0 Theory of jet formation with lined conical cavities J.

App. Physics:23, 5, 532-536, 1952.
Stress

−2 5. Curtis, J.P., The Stability of an Extending Jet in

−4
−6
−8
0 0.005 0.01 0.015
r(t) (m)
FIGURE 3. The axial stress for the plastic flow case
where again the two materials are copper (outer) and alu-
minium (inner) and yield strengths Y1 = 1.0 × 108 Pa, and
Y2 = 4 × 108 Pa. Plots are at the same times and for the
same radii and velocity difference as for Figure 2.
DISCUSSION
The formation of bi-material jets has been described,
indicating how the radii of the inner core and outer
surface can be found from a bi-material liner forma-
tion model. In this first study uniform jets have been
investigated, but the generalisation to slowly varying
radii should be feasible.
Potential Flow. Published by Scicon Ltd. 1986.
6. Curtis, J.P.,Axisymmetric Instability Model for
Shaped Charge Jets, Journal of Applied Physics, Vol.
61, No. 11, pp. 4978-4985, 1987.
7. Pack, D.C., On the Perturbation and Break-up of a
High-Speed Elongating Metal Jet, J. Appl. Phys.,
Vol. 6, 1864, 1988.
8. Romero, L.A., The Instability of Rapidly Stretching
Plastic Jets, J. Appl. Phys., Vol. 65, 3006, 1989.
9. Frankel, I. and Weihs, D., Stability of a capillary
jet with linearly increasing axial velocity (with
application to shaped charges) J. Fluid Mech. 155,
289-307, 1985.
10. Littlefield, D.L. and Powell, J.D., The Effect
of Electromagnetic Fields on the Stability of a
Uniformly Elongating Plastic Jet, Phys. Fluids A2,
2240, 1990.
11. Curtis, J.P. and Kelly, R.J., Circular streamline
model of shaped charge jet and slug formation with
asymmetry J. Appl. Phys. 75, 7700, 1994.
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