Unpacking Blast Fragment and Pressure Wave Contributions to Target Deformation and Failure

The research team was only able to recruit two MSc students starting this project in 2021, but both have made decent progress and should submit dissertations for examination within the normal 2 years of our MSc program. They recruited a third student in 2022, whose project will continue into 2023 - nominally outside the project timelines, but they have ensured a portion of the budget is set aside to support this. The results to date from the MSc students in their second year are promising, showing consistent trends with simulations - though uncertainties in the target material fracture model leaves room for improving the prediction of penetration or rupture. As the focus of the third MSc, due for completion in 2023, will produce high strain rate tensile data and improve our fracture estimates, they are hopeful of improving the blast and fragment impact simulations in future.