A Study of the Crack Damage in Fuel-Filled Tank Walls Due to Ballistic Penetrators

Abstract : A major goal of the hydraulic ram survivability program for aircraft fuel tanks is the development of analytical-numerical tools for the accurate prediction of damage to the tank due to a ballistic projectile. This report presents a method for predicting the amount of cracking of a penetrated tank wall due to the penetrating projectile and the hydraulic ram loading. The method uses computer codes to predict the fluid pressure on the wall and the stresses in the wall. The stresses are compared with empirical data on the fracture of thin cracked plates to obtain a prediction of the final crack length. A comparison of predicted cracks with actual cracks that occurred in plates tested by Naval Weapons Center, China Lake, California is included. Good correlation is obtained when the magnitude of the predicted strains is adjusted to agree with the magnitude of the measured strains by a correction factor. (Author)