Damage and ballistic evaluation of ceramic-metal composite target against cylindrical projectile

Abstract

The ballistic resistance of a composite ceramic–metal target has been studied by performing three–dimensional finite element computations on ABAQUS/Explicit finite code. The bi–layer alumina 95–aluminium 2024–T3 target has been subjected to impact load by a cylindrical steel projectile at varying incidence velocity in order to carry out a detailed investigation about the behaviour of a composite with a front ceramic layer. First of all the optimum thickness ratio of the front ceramic and backing aluminium layer has been found out. Subsequently, the significance of the eccentricity on the impact response has been studied by hitting the composite target at six different impact locations and the results have been compared with that of the concentric impact condition. The possibility of reducing the areal density of the composite by using the perforated backing aluminium plate has also been studied. The eccentricity in the impact load has played a significant role on the ballistic resistance of the composite. The consideration of perforated backing plate though could not enhance the ballistic efficiency. However, it has been found that a major portion of the energy of the projectile is lost during its interaction with the front ceramic tile leading to significant erosion of the projectile. The backing plate on the other hand played the role of supporting the front layer however its share of energy absorption subsequent to the comminution of ceramic was not very significant. The Johnson–Holmquist (JH–2) constitutive model has been used for simulating the material behaviour of the ceramic and the Johnson–Cook (JC) constitutive model has been used for simulating the behaviour of backing plate and the projectile.