Technical report AMCMS No. 501A
.11.84400. DA Project No. 1T061101A91A. Benet Weapon Laboratory. Watervliet Arsenal. Watervliet, New York.Gun cube erosion can be defined as the bore surface damage and bore enlargement caused by firing, which can lead to loss in accuracy and the effectiveness of the weapon. It is one of the two major factors on the basis of which gun tubes are condemned; the other factor being fatigue life. Erosion is a complex phenomenon resulting from the interaction of propellant gases and the projectile with the surface of the bore, the bore surface is exposed for a short time to temperatures approaching the melting point of steel, pressures as high as 50,000 psi, reactive atmosphere composed of CO, CO2, H2O, H2, N2, and numerous other identified and unidentified constituents. Superimposed on these conditions are the high velocity of gases and paging action of the projectile rotating band. It is the objective of this presentation to review the physicochemical processes involved in erosion and indicate some critical areas which need further investigation. Also, various efforts to control erosion in barrels will be briefly discussed.Contents:
Introduction.
Historical Background.
Magnitude of the erosion problem — in conus weapon.
What іs involved in erosion.
Control.
Conclusion.
