Experimental and numerical study of precursor shaped charge performance

Abstract

The shaped-charge effect remains one of the most effective mechanisms for defeating armored targets. Tandem shaped-charge warheads provide enhanced effectiveness against explosive reactive armor systems, where the precursor charge is used to initiate the reactive armor prior to the arrival of the main charge. The present study investigates the performance of a small-diameter precursor shaped-charge warhead with a charge diameter of 50 mm. A 60° conical copper liner with a thickness of 1 mm is accelerated by the detonation products of an explosive charge and subsequently transformed into a high-velocity jet. The experimental program included three explosive materials-TNT, RDX, and HMX-as well as variations in standoff distance. A high-strength alloy steel cylinder was used as the target. In parallel, a numerical model of jet formation and target penetration was developed using the commercial finite element software Abaqus/Explicit and a purely Eulerian formulation. Comparison of the experimental observations and numerical predictions demonstrated good agreement in terms of penetration depth and cavity geometry, while also providing insight into the underlying penetration mechanisms and the influence of key design parameters. The validated numerical model provides a reliable basis for further analysis and optimization of shaped-charge warhead performance.