Rail deformation during launching of an electromagnetic railgun

In the launching armature of an electromagnetic( EM) railgun,the moving loads due to the armature's sliding can cause the rail's dynamic response. Here,based on the basic theory of an elastic beam,a model was developed to investigate the rail's dynamic response. According to the armature velocity and its sliding distance determined with current data obtained from launching tests,the rail deflection curre under moving loads was gained. The deformations of the rail with varying of rail position and launching time were obtained,and the effects of rail repulsion and armature contact force on the rail's deformations were compared. These results provided a reference for further design of supporting structures and further analysis of EM railgun life length.