Design of an experimental configuration for studying the dynamic fragmentation of ceramics under impact

To characterize the penetration resistance of a ceramic target during impact, it is necessary to take into consideration the mechanical behaviour of the fragmented ceramic. In the present work, a series of numerical simulations have been performed to design an experimental configuration named the “normal impact test”. The aim of this configuration is to generate a strong fragmentation of the ceramic tile and to prevent any ejection of debris in order to analyse the fragmentation properties of the impacted ceramic. An anisotropic damage model has been used to perform these computations. The Weibull parameters that constitute input data of this model have been identified from four-point flexural tests performed on the so-called Hexoloy® silicon carbide. Finally, the numerical predictions are compared to the failure pattern of the fragmented ceramic