PROJECTILE PERFORATION OF MULTI-LAYERED BEAMS

A combined analytical and experimental study has been performed on the ballistic resistance of layered targets, in particular of flat, relatively thin beams with clamped ends in spaced and laminated (i.e. in contact without bonding) conditions. The theoretical analysis combines the effect of structural deformation with the mechanism of perforation. This requires a redefinition of the ballistic limit velocity as the initial impact velocity for which the post perforation velocity and the structural deformation velocity of the impact point would be equal at the same time. The ballistic tests were based on commercially pure and alloy (6061-T6) aluminum target specimens of various thicknesses and configurations, and used 0·22 in. caliber projectiles which struck the targets perpendicularly at their center with a velocity of 375 msec. The results for the velocity drop show fairly good agreement between experiments and predictions, and greater ballistic resistance of the laminated configuration. © 1979.