Ballistic behavior of alumina ceramic faced and polyethylene reinforced armor material: Experimental analysis

Abstract

Due to the improving strength of military offense technology, the conventional armor methods have lost their effectiveness. Thus, the necessity to develop new equipment with different mechanical features for rapidly developing defense practices has arisen. Within the scope of this study, the ballistic tests of a composite armor system with a support layer of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) and an alumina ceramics face were conducted against the 7.62×51mm armor piercing bullet and the damage patterns were analyzed. The ballistic tests within the scope of this study were carried out in an industrial facility laboratory. It was decided that the protective performance of the given armor combination is high enough and is a suitable choice for field application. To the results of experiments, was observed that they were almost perfectly compatible regarding many features, such as occurring fracture cone, damage size and structure, crack expansion, bullet damage, and size of the dent in the back support layer. It was measured that the amount of depression formed in the UHMWPE layer on the back surface of the armor system varied between 18 and 20mm. Since these obtained values are in accordance with the desired international personnel protection standards, it is understood that the armor system composition created is a preferred composition that can provide the necessary protection. In general, it is seen that the armor system created with an alumina ceramic faceplate, UHMWPE composite support plate and combined with epoxy resin provides the desired properties within the framework of standards.