Structural Integrity Assessment of a Long-Range Artillery Projectile Body via Analytical and Numerical Approaches

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Abdellah Ferfouri 1
Damir D. Jerkovic 1
Sasa Zivkovic 2
Toufik Allouche 1
Nebojsa Hristov 1
1 University of Defence – Military Academy, Belgrade, 11042, Serbia
2 Military Technical Institute, Belgrade, 11030, Serbia
10.22055/jacm.2025.48632.5379
Abstract
Long-range artillery projectiles can feature a hybrid design that integrates a base bleed unit and a solid rocket motor, offering substantial improvements in ballistic performance. These improvements are accompanied by significant increases in the launch stresses experienced by the projectile body. The paper evaluates the structural integrity of a 155 mm long-range artillery projectile body through a combined approach of analytical calculations and finite element analysis. The projectile body includes three components arranged from the base to the nose: the base bleed unit body, the solid rocket motor body, and the warhead body. An analytical method was used to select the required geometric configuration of the projectile body. A 3D finite element (FE) analysis was performed to validate the structural integrity of the selected configuration under loading conditions from two firing cases. Both quasistatic and transient dynamic analyses were applied to the FE model via a high-quality mesh. The projectile body materials were modelled as linear elastic with the von Mises failure criterion. The structural response of the projectile body, in terms of stress and strain, was analysed and discussed. The results reveal that the entire projectile body is capable of withstanding the applied loading conditions in both firing cases, with the base bleed unit body experiencing the highest stress levels. The results also reveal good agreement in the stress state predicted by both quasistatic and transient dynamic analyses. The methodology presented in this study can be applied to evaluate the structural integrity of various artillery ammunition types.
Keywords
FE analysis
Transient dynamic
Quasistatic
von Mises failure criterion
Internal ballistics
Subjects

Publisher’s Note Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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Journal of Applied and Computational Mechanics
Volume 12, Issue 3
Summer 2026
Pages 879-892