Determination of impact and ballistic behaviour of ceramic composite armour systems

Ceramic composite armour systems are widely used on developed armoured vehicles as high ballistic protection means. Ceramics on the front face of armour system develop stress waves due to their high hardness, compressive strength and wear resistance. With high energy absorption properties, polymer based laminated composites on the back side of armour prevent penetration by holding the bullets and fragments.This study is an experimental investigation, revealing the impact behaviour and damage pattern in compenents of ceramic composite armour system. Low energy impact behaviour is studied via drop weight tests while high energy impact behaviour is studied via real ballistic tests.Low energy impact tests are carried out with an instrumented drop weight impact testing machine, Instron Dynatup. Data accumulation and control system of testing machine precisely gathered the impact loading force, striking velocity of impactor, impact time information to interpret the fracture initiation and development of laminated structure.Low energy impact penetration velocity limits of laminated composites constructed from unidirectional fibers and woven fabrics of E-Glass and polyester matrix are determined. Two important parameters in impact characterizing of laminated composites, namely penetration and perforation thresholds are found out.Ballistic limits and protection levels of ceramic composite armour systems are determined according to standard STANAG 4569 and NIJ. Mass and volume efficiencies are calculated with respect to RHA steel. Conical damage structure is localized around impact point in high energy ballistic tests and damage size due to delaminations and fiber fractures are reduced in comparison with low energy drop weight impact tests.