Abstract
Numerical simulations and analysis of ballistic impact and penetration by tungsten alloy rods into composite targets consisting of layers of aluminum nitride ceramic tile(s), polymer laminae, and aluminum backing are conducted over a range of impact velocities on the order of 1.0 to 1.2 km/s. Computational results for ballistic efficiency are compared with experimental data from the literature. Simulations and experiments both demonstrate a trend of decreasing ballistic efficiency with increasing impact velocity. Predicted absolute residual penetration depths often exceed corresponding experimental values. The closest agreement between model and experiment is obtained when polymer interfaces are not explicitly represented in the numerical calculations, suggesting that the current model representation of such interfaces may be overly compliant. The present results emphasize the importance of proper resolution of geometry and constitutive properties of thin layers and interfaces between structural constituents for accurate numerical evaluation of performance of modern composite protection systems.
Highlights
Modern protection systems often consist of layers of ceramic, metallic, and/or polymer-based components
Reasons for the differences in results cannot be isolated in the present set of complex simulations, but possibilities include the following: the WHA material may be weaker than that depicted by the model, or the Al material may be stronger than that depicted by the model; the erosion criterion invoked in simulations may be too liberal for the Al or too strict for the WHA; omission of friction and commensurate wear between target and eroding projectile may result in larger penetration depths in simulations than those observed in experiments; and/or far-field boundary conditions may artificially affect depth of penetration results at later computation times in finite element simulations
Numerical simulations of ballistic impact and penetration of targets consisting of layers of aluminum nitride ceramic tile(s), polymer laminae, and aluminum backing have been conducted over a range of impact velocities on the order of 1.0 to 1.2 km/s
Summary
Modern protection systems often consist of layers of ceramic, metallic, and/or polymer-based components. Interfaces between layers may strongly influence performance of such systems under ballistic impact. The importance of interfacial characteristics—for example, interface thickness, material type, and bonding strength—is not fully understood in many cases. The purpose of this study is the assessment of one computational tool—with typical/default user options enabled—for modeling ballistic impact and penetration of a layered target consisting of one or more ceramic tiles backed by a thick metallic plate, with thin layers of polymer between the tiles in some cases. The current focus is the evaluation of the fidelity of the existing material models (including corresponding property parameters) and related numerical methods; modification of constitutive models or calibration of user-defined parameters to best match experimental ballistic results is beyond the scope of the present study
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