09-04-2011, 04:19 AM
Make sure you use plates from the same sheet.
We had trouble correlating test results with computer predictions on some destructive tests a few years back. I asked for tensile tests for the steel used in the structure. The results showed that the steel had a yield strength about 50% greater than the nominal yield strength for mild steel. The predictions went a lot better when the proper material responses were modeled.
This disparity in yield strength will confuse your penetration results.
I'm assuming you won't want to pay for a test laboratory to assure that the different sheets have the same strength, so getting the plates from the same sheet will at least assure uniform comparisons.
We had trouble correlating test results with computer predictions on some destructive tests a few years back. I asked for tensile tests for the steel used in the structure. The results showed that the steel had a yield strength about 50% greater than the nominal yield strength for mild steel. The predictions went a lot better when the proper material responses were modeled.
This disparity in yield strength will confuse your penetration results.
I'm assuming you won't want to pay for a test laboratory to assure that the different sheets have the same strength, so getting the plates from the same sheet will at least assure uniform comparisons.