Research on ceramic fragmentation behavior of lightweight ceramic/metal composite armor during vertical penetration

Abstract

In order to investigate the ceramic fragmentation behavior of light ceramic composite armors in the process of anti-penetration, ballistic impact tests of ceramic/metal composite armors with different back cover and ceramic thicknesses using a penetrating projectile of 12.7 mm in diameter was carried out. The target was installed in a recycling bin, and the recovery rate of ceramic fragments was above 95%. By observing the macroscopic failure characteristics of the recovered target ceramics, the relationship between different thickness combinations of the ceramics and the main failure characteristics was analyzed. And through the multi-stage screening and weighing of the ceramic fragments, the size distribution law of the ceramic fragments with different thickness combinations was analyzed. The results show that the fracture cone of the ceramic was the main failure characteristic of the ceramic panel, and the macroscopic cracks mainly include radial cracks, ring cracks and conical cracks. The ceramic cone can be subdivided into a crushing zone composed of small powdered ceramic fragments caused by high compressive stress and a broken zone composed of large ceramic fragments caused by stress waves. The size distribution of the ceramic fragments in the ceramic cone after impact satisfies the Rosin-Rammler distribution model. With the increase of the back plate thickness, the half conical angle of the ceramic cone increases, which leads to increases in the overall volume of the ceramic cone and the proportion of the broken zone. The resulting ceramic fragments are mainly large size fragments, and the overall broken size in the ceramic cone increases. When the ceramic thickness increases, the half conical angle and the number of radial cracks remain basically unchanged, the proportion of the crushing zone in the ceramic cone increases, and the overall crushing size decreases.