The problem of maximization of the depth\ud
of penetration of rigid impactor into semi-infinite solid\ud
media (concrete shield) is investigated analytically and\ud
numerically using two-stage model and experimen-\ud
tal data of Forrestal and Tzou (Int J Solids Struct\ud
34(31–32):4127–4146, 1997). The shape of the axisym-\ud
metric rigid impactor has been taken as an unknown\ud
design variable. To solve the formulated optimization\ud
problem for nonadditive functional, we expressed the\ud
depth of penetration (DOP) under some isoperimetric\ud
constraints. We apply approaches based on analyti-\ud
cal and qualitative variational methods and numerical\ud
optimization algorithm of global search. Basic atten-\ud
tion for considered optimization problem was given\ud
to constraints on the mass of penetrated bodies, ex-\ud
pressed by the volume in the case of penetrated solid\ud
body and by the surface area in the case of pene-\ud
trated thin-walled rigid shell. As a result of performed\ud
investigation, based on two-term and three-term two\ud
stage models proposed by Forrestal et al. (Int J\ud
Impact Eng 15(4):396–405, 1994), Forrestal and Tzou\ud
(Int J Solids Struct 34(31–32):4127–4146, 1997) and\ud
effectively developed by Ben-Dor et al. (Comp Struct\ud
56:243–248, 2002, Comput Struct 81(1):9–14, 2003a, In