Ballistic impact performance of spaced multilayered and monolithic composite targets: Analytical and experimental studies

Ballistic impact performance of spaced multilayered and monolithic composite targets is presented based on propagation of stress wave and energy balance within the target and the impacting projectile. The energy dissipated by the impacting projectile gets absorbed by the composite target through several energy absorbing mechanisms. Specifically, studies are performed on spaced bilayered target separated by air gap and monolithic target having the same total thickness. Energy absorption due to several mechanisms, contact force, projectile velocity, projectile tip displacement, and kinetic energy of the projectile with respect to time are presented. Also, ballistic limit velocity (V _BL ) and total energy absorption of the target with respect to target thickness have been evaluated. Spaced bilayered composite targets have higher ballistic limit velocity compared to monolithic composite targets from total target thickness of 16–28 mm. Monolithic composite targets have higher ballistic limit velocity compared to spaced bilayered composite targets up to total target thickness of 16 mm and beyond target thickness of 28 mm. Experimental studies were performed for the validation of analytical results. The analytically predicted value of ballistic limit velocity matches well with the experimental value.