Ballistic Performance of Alumina/S‐2 Glass‐reinforced Polymer‐matrix Composite Hybrid Lightweight Armor Against Armor Piercing (ap) and Non‐AP Projectiles
Multidiscipline Modeling in Materials and Structures
ISSN: 1573-6105
Article publication date: 1 March 2007
Abstract
The ability of light‐weight all fiber‐reinforced polymer‐matrix composite armor and hybrid composite‐based armor hard‐faced with ceramic tiles to withstand the impact of a non‐Armor‐ Piercing (non‐AP) and AP projectiles is investigated using a transient non‐linear dynamics computational analysis. The results obtained confirm experimental findings that the all‐composite armor, while being able to successfully defeat non‐AP threats, provides very little protection against AP projectiles. In the case of the hybrid armor, it is found that, at a fixed overall areal density of the armor, there is an optimal ratio of the ceramic‐to‐composite areal densities which is associated with a maximum ballistic armor performance against AP threats. The results obtained are rationalized using an analysis based on the shock/blast wave reflection and transmission behavior at the hard‐face/air, hard‐face/backing and backing/air interfaces, projectiles’ wear and erosion and the intrinsic properties of the constituent materials of the armor and the projectiles.
Keywords
Citation
Grujicic, M., Pandurangan, B., Zecevic, U., Koudela, K.L. and Cheeseman, B.A. (2007), "Ballistic Performance of Alumina/S‐2 Glass‐reinforced Polymer‐matrix Composite Hybrid Lightweight Armor Against Armor Piercing (ap) and Non‐AP Projectiles", Multidiscipline Modeling in Materials and Structures, Vol. 3 No. 3, pp. 287-312. https://doi.org/10.1163/157361107781389562
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2007, Emerald Group Publishing Limited