Wire fence as applique armour

Abstract

In this paper, the behaviour of wire fence was investigated for potential as applique armour. The wire fence used was made from commercial high-strength patented wire and the supporting frames were made of mild steel L-profiles. Both patented wire and L-profiles are of-the-shelf materials. The fence was tested by firing 12.7 mm M8 API ammunition at four applique armour models: two of these models use a parallel wire arrangement, with one mounted at a 90° angle from the incoming projectile and the other at 70°; and two of these models use a zig-zag wire arrangement, one mounted at a firm 90° angle and the other is left in a hanging arrangement. Fence damage was correlated with RHA basic plate damage, on both the face and back. Wire fence has considerable potential as an improvised applique armour, except if the projectile impacts near the center of the wire or near the center between two wires. The latter case was successfully overcome by placing the armour model at an angle and by using a zig-zag wire arrangement. The lowest basic RHA plate damage level was found using the hanging armour model. However, from the point of view of ease of attachment, the most convenient was found to be the armour model with the zig-zag wire arrangement fixed at 90° angle from the incoming projectile. SEM fracto graphy revealed that the fracture surface was predominantly ductile, with dimples filled with debris from the incendiary effect of the projectile.