Influence of multiple structural parameters on interior ballistics based on orthogonal test methods

Influence of multiple structural parameters on the performance of a gun launch system driven by high-pressure reactive gases is important for structural design and performance adjustment. A coupled lumped parameter model was utilized to predict the propellant combustion, and a dynamic finite element method was applied to approximate the mechanical interactions between the projectile and the barrel. The combustion and the mechanical interactions were coupled through a user subroutine interface in ABAQUS. The correctness and the capability of the finite element approximations in capturing small structural changes were validated by comparing predicted resistance with experiments. Based on the coupled model, the influence of structural parameters of a medium-caliber gun on the system performance was investigated. In order to reduce the research costs, orthogonal tests were designed to investigate the comprehensive effects of the parameters. According to statistical analysis, the important order of the structural parameters on the launching process was obtained. The results indicate that the influence of the width of the rotating band stands out among the studied parameters in the gun. The work provides a method to investigate the influence of multiple parameters on system performance and gives guidance for controlling the system performance.