Slurry infiltrated fiber concrete (SIFCON) for use in ballistic and fire protection of military structures

Abstract

The materials used for the architectural shielding of civil structures must protect against impacts, explosions, and fire. However, Portland cement-based concrete (OPC) degrades when exposed to high temperatures. These requirements and the limitations of OPC promotes research on alternative concretes for ballistic and fire protection uses. Therefore, this research analyzes the potential application of slurry infiltrated fiber concrete (SIFCON) in constructing structures resistant to both fire and ballistic impacts. The SIFCON is based on the alkaline activation of ceramic waste (Ce) with the incorporation of short steel fibers (38 mm). Ballistic tests were conducted using 9 mm caliber ammunition with two types of weapons: the CZ 10P pistol (5 impacts) and the Beretta CX4 submachine gun (1 burst of 3 impacts). The results indicate that SIFCON-Ce exhibits greater thermal stability and fire resistance compared to SIFCON-OPC. Specifically, the residual flexural strength at 900 °C was 75.1 % for SIFCON-Ce and 46.1 % for SIFCON-OPC. Additionally, the inclusion of steel fibers enhanced the material's ability to resist impacts (9 mm caliber) generated by the CZ 10P pistol and Beretta CX4 submachine gun, leading to the classification of SIFCON as a suitable material for architectural armor, with protection levels of type II-A and III-A according to the NIJ 0108.01 standard.