Experimental and numerical study on the influence of explosive charge length on the performance of explosively formed projectiles

Abstract

Understanding how the length of the explosive charge affects the formation and terminal performance of explosively formed projectiles (EFPs) is crucial for designing efficient warheads. In this study, eleven EFP configurations with charge lengths ranging from 0.7 to 1.7 times the liner diameter were analysed using high-fidelity ANSYS Autodyn simulations. An experimental test with l/d=1.2 was conducted to validate the simulation. The results show that projectile velocity, penetration depth, and penetration diameter all increase with charge length up to 1.2-1.4d, beyond which performance plateaus. The experimental velocity deviated by less than 2.3% and the penetration diameter by less than 5.7%, indicating that the proposed model agrees well with the experimental results. These findings provide practical guidance for optimising EFP warhead design.