Mechanical properties data of candidate alloys for earth penetrator structural components

Loading modes imposed on earth penetrators during impact and subsurface travel include high rate axial compressive stresses and possibly large tensile bending stresses caused by off-axis impacts or collisions with hard sub-surface objects. These modes require that case structural alloys possess a high yield strength to prevent yielding under compressive loads and also possess high fracture toughness to resist fracture under tensile loading at stress concentrations. Tensile data were generated at intermediate strain rates (epsilon less than 300 sec/sup -1/) between 219 and 344/sup 0/K for four candidate steels (9-4-20, maraging 250, HY-180, and D6AC). In general, yield strengths varied less than 10 percent over the ranges of strain rate and temperature tested. Charpy impact energy measurements on 9-4-20 showed a 10 percent decrease in toughness at low temperatures for samples subjected to a simulated heat-shrink fitting procedure. Additional fracture toughness tests (K/sub IC/) were conducted on 9-4-20 with varied tempering treatments and on two forged billets of HY-180. Strength and toughness data for several candidate alloys gathered from the literature are presented, and recommendations are made for trade-offs in strength versus toughness.