Jet Grouping of Linear-Shaped Charges and Penetration Performance

There have been many studies on the penetration performance of conical-shaped charges (CSCs) in various applications. These studies have led to a great deal of improvement, and even breakthroughs, in the design of CSCs. These studies have also positively affected the design of linear-shaped charges (LSCs), but due to the comparatively low penetration performance of LSCs there has been little theory-based scientific study of their penetration performance. In this paper, empirically observed field testing data are presented, including the details of the penetration performance and configuration of the LSC jet against UHMW-PE (ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene) targets using a series of flash X-ray exposures. These findings are compared to the previously published theoretical analysis in order to understand the nature of the formation, penetration, and classification/grouping of LSC jets. After a series of empirical and theoretical investigations, it was concluded that the LSC jet can be grouped depending on the jet particulation and distribution pattern, and each jet group exhibits different penetration performance. The relationship between liner collapse angle and jet segment density suggests potential room for performance improvement.