Coupled Experimental and Numerical Parametric Study of Projectile Penetration into Granular Sandy Soils under Low-Velocity Impact

This study conducts a parametric macroscopic study on soil-projectile interaction under low-velocity penetration with a focus on the joint effect of granular soil properties and projectile characteristics. First, experimental free-fall vertical dropping tests were performed on conical-headed projectiles with different apex angles and weights penetrating compacted sandy soil with different degrees of relative density. More extensive studies were carried out through numerical simulation performed with the Abaqus 2024 software with the purpose of validating the experimental test results as well as examining other variables such as different internal friction angles, dropping heights, projectile diameters, nose configurations, angles of impact, as well as cratering. Support studies involved analyses focusing on projectile acceleration, energy absorption, stress, and plastic strain distribution in the soil body. Taken together, both testing and simulation results suggest that the penetrating depth varies negatively with increasing internal friction angles as well as relative soil density, but positively with increasing apex angles, weights, and dropping heights, with the reverse being true for diminutive projectile diameters as well as incident angles of ninety degrees. Also, crater diameter varies directly with apex angles, dropping heights, as well as projectile diameter. This body of work thus provides a basic background for further studies on medium-to-high-velocity penetrating interaction as well as more effective soil hardening measures aimed at maximizing penetration resistance.