Effect of Ceramic Properties and Depth-of-penetration Test Parameters on the Ballistic Performance of Armour Ceramics

Fengdan Cui; Guoqing Wu; Tian Ma; Weiping Li

doi:10.14429/dsj.67.10664

Fengdan Cui School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing - 100 191
Guoqing Wu School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing - 100 191
Tian Ma The Quartermaster Research Institute of the General Logistics Department of the PLA, Beijing - 100 082
Weiping Li The Quartermaster Research Institute of the General Logistics Department of the PLA, Beijing - 100 082

DOI: https://doi.org/10.14429/dsj.67.10664

Keywords: Armour ceramics, Ballistic performance, Mechanical property, Quantitative analysis

Abstract

Through an analysis on the relationship among ceramic properties, the depth of penetration (DOP) test parameters and the ballistic performance of armour ceramics based on literatures, the effects of ceramic type, tile thickness and projectile velocity on the ballistic performance of different kinds of ceramics were investigated systematically. The results show that the ballistic performance of different armour ceramics mainly depends on its density, and by using thin ceramic tiles or under high velocity impact, the ceramic composite armour could not provide effective ballistic protection. Furthermore, the differences in the ballistic performance of armour ceramic are found due to the different ballistic performance criteria and DOP test conditions. Additionally, the slope of the depth of penetration (not include tile thickness) (Pa) versus tile thickness has negative correlation with flexural strength of ceramics, indicating the flexural strength can be one of the criteria to evaluate the performance of armour ceramics.

Author Biographies

Fengdan Cui, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing - 100 191

Ms Fengdan Cui received her BS (Material Science and Engineering) from Jiangsu University, China, in 2014, and MS (Material Science and Engineering) from Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, in 2017. Her area of expertise is : Design and manufacture of ceramic and composite armour.

Guoqing Wu, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing - 100 191

Dr Guoqing Wu received his MS (Material Science and Engineering) from Xian Jiaotong University, China, in 2000, and PhD (Material Science and Engineering) from Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, in 2003. Currently, he is working as an Associate Professor at the Departmentof Material Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. His research interests include: relationship among process, microstructure and property of Ti alloy, design and manufacture of ceramic and composite armour.

Tian Ma, The Quartermaster Research Institute of the General Logistics Department of the PLA, Beijing - 100 082

Dr Tian Ma received his MS (Materials processing engineering) from Xian Jiaotong University, China, in 2000, and PhD (Material Science and Engineering) from Tsinghau University, in 2004. Currently, he is working as senior engineer in the Quartermaster Research Institute of the General Logistics Department of the PLA. His research interests are in the areas of development and characterisation of ceramic armour materials and design, manufacture and application of composite materials in armours.

Weiping Li, The Quartermaster Research Institute of the General Logistics Department of the PLA, Beijing - 100 082

Ms Weiping Li received her BS (Material Science and Engineering) from Liaocheng University, China, in 2010, and MS (Material Science and Engineering) from Beijing Institute of Technology, in 2013. Currently, she is working as engineer in the Quartermaster Research Institute of the General Logistics Department of the PLA. Her area of expertise is manufacture and application of composite materials in armours.