The Dynamic Behaviour of Tungsten Carbide
An armour-piercing bullet showing the tungsten carbide core. Tungsten carbide is commonly used in armour-piercing projectiles.
SPONSOR: TNO
WC-based ceramic metal composites (cermets) are of great importance in both amour and munitions design due to the combination of properties imparted by the presence of two different phases. WC-Co cermets are of great interest in this area due to the hardness and strength imparted by the WC phase while the cementing Co matrix acts to increase plasticity and toughness. Here the dynamic response of a specific WC-Co material was studied via a series of plate impact experiments involving both longitudinal and lateral gauges which allowed: determination of the Us-Up Hugoniot; measurement of a Hugoniot Elastic Limit; measurement of the spall strength; and an investigation of the pressure dependence of shear strength in such a strong material.
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Dr Paul J Hazell
T: +44 (0)1793 784195
E: p.j.hazell@cranfield.ac.uk
