Ballistic evaluation of steel/UHMWPE composite armor system against hardened steel core projectiles

Thin high hardness steel sheets can be an alternative to expensive ceramic armor systems designed to defeat hardened core projectiles. A thin high hardness steel sheet backed with UHMWPE fiber-reinforced composite was ballistically tested against a 7.62 x 39 mm hardened steel core projectile in a single-stage gas gun. Thin steel sheets of 530 BHN hardness were adhesively bonded with UHMWPE fiber-reinforced composite to fabricate armor plates. Armor plates were able to defeat the projectile showing considerable potential. Tensile strength of steel sheet and UHMWPE-fiber reinforced ply was also determined. A detailed numerical simulation of the impact event was also performed to understand the phenomenon of defeat and penetration in greater detail. The numerical model was calibrated from the recovered projectile's core after the ballistic test.

Automated summary

The study demonstrates that thin high hardness steel sheets combined with UHMWPE fiber-reinforced composite can be a cost-effective alternative to ceramic armor systems. The armor plates fabricated from adhesively bonding the steel sheets and UHMWPE-fiber reinforced composite show considerable potential in defeating hardened core projectiles. Numerical simulation provides further insight into the phenomenon of defeat and penetration.