Effect of projectile shape during ballistic perforation of VARTM carbon/epoxy composite panels

• Published in: Composite structures Vol. 61; no. 1; pp. 143 - 150
• Main Authors: Ulven, C, Vaidya, U.K, Hosur, M.V
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-07-2003; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Ballistic perforation; Composites; Exact sciences and technology; Forms of application and semi-finished materials; Fracture mechanics (crack, fatigue, damage...); Fracture mechanics, fatigue and cracks; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Physics; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Projectile shape; Solid mechanics; Structural and continuum mechanics; Technology of polymers; Woven fabric composite; Projectile shape; Woven fabric composite; Ballistic perforation
• ISSN: 0263-8223; 1879-1085
• DOI: 10.1016/S0263-8223(03)00037-0

The use of carbon/epoxy composites in aircraft, marine, and automotive structural applications is steadily increasing. Robust composite structures processed using low-cost techniques with the purpose of sustaining high velocity impact loads from various threats are of great interest. An example of a low-cost process is the out-of-autoclave, vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) technique. The present study evaluates the perforation and damage evolution created by various projectile geometries in VARTM processed carbon/epoxy laminates. A series of ballistic impact tests have been performed on satin weave carbon/epoxy laminates of 3.2 and 6.5 mm thickness, with projectile geometries representing hemispherical, conical, fragment simulating and flat tip. A gas-gun with a sabot stripper mechanism was employed to impact the samples with 50-caliber projectiles of the different shapes. The perforation mechanism, ballistic limit, and damage evolution of each laminate has been studied. The influence of projectile shape in the VARTM carbon/epoxy laminates under high velocity impact followed the analytical predictions by Wen [Compos. Struct. 49 (2000) 321; Compos. Sci. Technol. 61 (2001) 1163]. The conical shaped projectile resulted in highest ballistic limit, followed by the flat, hemispherical and the fragment simulating.