Ballistic limit analysis for projectiles impacting on dual wall structures at hypervelocity

The potential threat from meteoroids and orbital debris particles impacting on pressurized spacecraft prompted a study of ballistic limit analysis. The paper presents a new analytical ballistic limit equation for sphere projectiles normal impacting on thin plates. This equation applies to cases of hypervelocity impacts on dual wall structures. The developed equation is based on theoretical analysis of a perfectly elastic plastic plate. The Rayleigh-Ritz method was used. To test the validity, we predicted 30 tests by the equation. It was found that there are 24 predictions corresponding to the tests. Curve is presented for the critical projectile diameter versus the projectile velocity. The curve is in good agreement with curves that have been developed by Christiansen.