Predicting the perforation of ceramic-faced light armors subjected to projectile impact

An analytical model is presented herein for the perforation of ceramic-faced light armors subjected to impact by flat-ended projectiles at normal incidence using energy balance method. The backing plates of ceramic-faced light armors consist of either metals or fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) laminates. It is assumed that during ballistic impact the kinetic energy of a projectile is dissipated by deformation (mushrooming) and erosion of the projectile, compression/fragmentation and shear failure of the ceramic facing tile as well as perforation of metal or FRP backing plate. Various equations are obtained and compared with available experiments. It transpires that the present model predictions are in good agreement with the test data for the perforation of ceramic-faced light armors under impact by flat-faced projectiles in terms of ballistic limit and residual velocity. It also transpires that, to a first approximation, the present model can also be applied to ceramic-faced light armors struck normally by non-flat missiles.