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3D DIC Air Gun Bullet Impact Test
Full-Field Deformation Analysis Using Impact Test
An impact test is essential for understanding how structures behave under sudden dynamic loading. In applications such as ballistic safety systems, analyzing deformation and energy transfer is critical to ensure reliability and protect against failure.
Objective
The objective of this study, conducted in cooperation with EC Test Systems, was to evaluate the full-field displacement of a metallic bullet trap during an air gun impact test.
Description of the Case Study
The test specimen was a metallic bullet trap with dimensions of approximately 150 × 150 mm, impacted by an air gun shot from a distance of about 500 mm.
Due to significant out-of-plane motion, a 3D Digital Image Correlation (3D DIC) setup was used. The system consisted of:
❖ Two Phantom KT1640 high-speed cameras
❖ Resolution: 1024 × 1024 px
❖ Frame rate: 14,000 fps
❖ Camera angle: ~25° for accurate 3D reconstruction of out-of-plane motion
This setup enabled high-precision measurement of displacement in all three axes (x, y, z) and provided detailed insight into the dynamic response of the structure during the impact test.
Step-by-Step Analysis
❖ High-Speed Image Acquisition – The High-Speed Capture Tool was used to control the cameras and download image sequences directly from the internal buffer, ensuring efficient and reliable data capture.
❖ 3D Visualization of Deformation – The captured data was processed into 3D displacement maps and vector fields, clearly showing the moment of impact and the propagation of energy through the structure.
❖ Full-Field Strain Analysis – Advanced analysis tools in MercuryRT were used to compute and visualize the strain distribution across the bullet trap surface.
❖ Graphical Representation – The results included displacement-time graphs and 3D vector visualizations, providing a comprehensive understanding of the structural response.
Results
The impact test revealed the dynamic behavior of the bullet trap under high-speed loading:
❖ Immediate localized deformation at the point of impact
❖ Propagation of a shock wave across the structure
❖ Subsequent vibrational response in different regions of the trap over time
The bullet’s impact generates a shock wave that propagates from the point of contact toward the edges of the bullet trap. This is followed by time-dependent vibrations across different regions of the structure.
Advantages of Using 3D DIC for Impact Test
❖ Full-field flow visualization – capture complete displacement and strain distribution
❖ 3D deformation analysis – accurate representation of out-of-plane motion
❖ High-speed capability – suitable for extreme dynamic events
❖ Non-contact method – no influence on the measured object
For more information about high speed 3D DIC, please Contact us through email info@mercury-dic.com.
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