Skip to main content
Dryad

Hitting a bullet with a bullet - an analysis of colliding bullets using experimental data and explicit simulation methods

Sandlin, Destin1; Cassibry, Jason1

Published Jul 13, 2026 on Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.1vhhmgr72

Data files

Jul 13, 2026 version files 3.42 GB

Click names to download individual files

Abstract

A method to simultaneously fire and achieve a nose-to-nose collision of two bullets was created and compared to simulated results. This research focused on symmetric Taylor impact test techniques applied to 45 caliber Hornady 45177 full metal jacketed munitions. An explicit LS-Dyna model using Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) explicit models of a dual bullet impact were created to determine which simulation approach is more accurate at replicating the realistic impact event.  

The experimental collision was observed using high speed cameras to measure impact angles, velocities, and spatial fragment distribution. A Johnson-Cook constitutive material model and failure criteria were used to simulate the bullet materials. This manuscript describes the methods used to approximate and adjust alloy material properties to reduce model correlation uncertainty if the Johnson-Cook values are not available for a selected material.

This paper includes an array of techniques gathered from across the field and discusses how they are employed to study the internal stresses, deformation, petaling, and internal fragmentation in an assembly under impact.  Johnson Cook parameters from known alloys were not sufficient to reproduce the symmetric Taylor impact experiments.  Specifically, damage parameters, erosion criteria and the hardening exponent (n) had to be modified to reproduce the observations from the experiment.