Experimental study on the performance of woven fabric rubber composite armor subjected to shaped charge jet impact

In this work, the protective capability of different types of woven fabric rubber composite armors (WFRCAs) are evaluated using the depth of penetration test method against a 56 mm-diameter shaped charge. Carbon, glass, Kevlar, and poly (phenylene benzobizoxazole) (PBO) woven fabrics are used as the reinforcement. The effect of the type of woven fabric on efficiency factors is studied. To provide appropriate benchmarking, the bulging armor and layered steel armor are also used in the DOP experiment. The Kevlar WFRCA is found to be more suitable as an add-on armor compared with carbon, glass, PBO WFRCAs, bulging armor and layered steel armor. The flash X-radiograph is used to visualize the deformation of jets as they penetrated the different types of WFRCAs. The effects of the number of jet bulges, the disturbance amplitude and frequency on the jet, and the length of the jet tip precursor are analyzed and discussed. A greater the bulge number is found to result in greater disturbance amplitude and higher disturbance frequency, thus generating more serious jet disturbance. Finally, with respect to the deformation of woven fabric after the jet impact, the results indicate that for carbon, glass, and Kevlar woven fabric, the damage regions are similarly rectangular or rhombic, but distinct from the PBO woven fabric.

► The effectiveness of the WFRCA is affected by the woven fabric types. ► The Kevlar WFRCA provides superior MEF, DMEF, SEF and DSEF. ► The disturbance frequency of the jet is around 55 kHz–160 kHz. ► The defeat mechanism in PBO is different from other three types of woven fabrics.