Abstract
The empirical and semi-empirical models available in literature for the estimation of hole-diameter in thin metallic plates by the strike of spherical projectile are mostly valid for the data for which these have been developed. This may be partly attributed to the form of the model employed for their development. The behavioural constraints and the limiting conditions are not satisfied by these models. In the present paper, some of the non-dimensional models have been developed that satisfy the behavioural constraints and limiting conditions. The data used in the development of earlier statistical models has been reanalyzed for the development of new models for the characterization of hole-diameter with a view towards seeing whether better characterization is possible. The genetic algorithm coupled with the penalty function method has been used for the constrained optimization of model parameters that result in low errors and high correlation coefficients.