Comprehensive study of projectile impact on lightweight adobe masonry

We conduct a comprehensive experimental and numerical study of the impact response of lightweight adobe masonry with a density of 1.2 g/cm3. Based on two independent test cases, a simulation model for lightweight adobe is validated and applied. First, we investigate the impact of a spherical projectile on finite and semi-infinite targets. Then, the penetration behavior of a generic hollow projectile is studied. In each case, the data from the ballistic experiments is compared to the results of corresponding numerical simulations. The employed numerical model utilizes a p-a-equation of state, recently derived from planar plate impact experiments on the same lightweight adobe material [Sauer et al., Journal of Dynamic Behavior of Materials 4 (2018) 231-243]. Strength and failure modeling are based on a validated numerical description of another adobe material that has a density of 1.8 g/cm3. The simulation model for lightweight adobe is capable of simultaneously reproducing all experimental results in a quantitatively appropriate way. This reveals that, although the phenomenology and quantitative properties differ significantly, lightweight adobe (1.2 g/cm3) and adobe (1.8 g/cm3) can be described by the same approach. Hence, this work suggests that the utilized model is applicable for analyses of impact loading of the entire class of adobe materials.