Analytical Simulation of High-speed Impact onto Hybrid Glass/Carbon Epoxy Composites Targets

Recently, the authors developed an analytical model, which has been shown valid to simulate accurately high-speed penetration onto composite materials targets. In this paper, the analytical model has been modified to analyse the impact onto hybrid composite material targets. Several equations have been corrected, although the basic structure of the model has been kept intact. The model has been utilized to analyse impact of steel balls, 5.56 mm diameter onto hybrid carbon/glass laminates at impact speeds ranging between about 200 and 600 m/s. Two different S2 glass fibre contents have been analysed, namely 12 and 21%. Analytical results of both ballistic limit (maximum speed for no perforation) and residual velocity of penetrator after full perforation vs. impact velocity show acceptable agreement with experimental results. We may conclude that modified analytical model is a valuable tool to simulate high-speed impact onto hybrid composite targets, being useful for a first stage design optimization.