PENETRATION OF METAL-FABRICS COMPOSITES BY SMALL PROJECTILES

ABSTRACT. Analytical and numerical solutions are presented, describing dynamics and fracture of composite metal-fabric armour penetrated by small projectiles (bullets and fragments). Comparison of one-dimensional and spatial axisymmetric models for nonlinear dynamics of a ply is conducted and their capabilities for practical calculations are discussed. A computer model for spatial dynamics of composite armour is described as a basis for a calculation tool specially designed to simulate penetration processes in actual metal/fabrics shields. Residual parameters of the projectile after perforation of the primary metal armour are obtained on the basis of experimental data processing and energy considerations. Comparison of calculation results with test data for actual steel-kevlar shields produced by the Israeli Military Industries Co. shows sufficient applicability of the tool