APFSDS vs ERA | M1IP ABRAMS vs T-62 + Explosive Reactive Armour | M833 Armour Penetration Simulation

Heavy Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA) is effective againt kinetic projectiles as well as shaped charge warheads, with the simulation presenting an M833 APFSDS projectile impacting a heavy ERA package on the T-62’s upper glacis. This simulation is to demonstrate the improved material model for Depleted Uranium (DU), which now accounts for brittle fracture under transverse loading. While the materials used for Armour-Piercing Fin-Stabilised Discarding-Sabot (APFSDS) projectiles are relatively tough, under transverse loading there is a tendency for them to fracture. ERA is designed to impart this type of load on long-rod penetrators, so it is essential to account for the brittle fracture behaviour when simulating APFSDS projectiles against ERA. The ERA shown in the simulation is similar to Russian ’Relikt’, however the amount of explosive sandwiched between the flyer plates has been increased, with a rather long detonation delay as well. These choices were made to maximise the transverse loading on the penetrator, making the points of brittle fracture more evident to the viewer. This is the reason ’Relikt’ is not specifically mentioned. To maximise computational efficiency, the explosive is not simulated explicitly, with a variable pressure load based on the Gurney and Flis equations for symmetric plates being used instead. Amazing Thumbnail Artwork From: Piotr Skałecki