Finite Element Analysis of Ceramic–Composite Structures for Ballistic Applications: Effect of Ceramic Thickness and Cell Structure

This study employs finite element simulation to conduct a numerical modeling of ceramic-composite structure armors. The numerical armor models consist of a ceramic plate and a composite backing plate. Alumina oxide and silicon carbide ceramic materials with two different cell structures are used: hexagonal and square cell structures, respectively. A Kevlar composite is used as the back plate. The ceramic plate's thickness is altered among 7, 8, and 9 mm to explore its influence on the ballistic performance of the armors. The damage fracture is compared with experimental results, and the ballistic resistance is further examined by determining the projectiles' velocities at the conclusion of the simulation and the evolution of the average velocity during the impact period. The findings of the numerical modeling reveal that the ceramics sustain damage consistent with the experimental damage. However, as perforation is observed in every sample, the overall performance of the samples is deemed unsatisfactory.Composite materials have proven to be effective in providing ballistic protection in defense systems while reducing weight compared to traditional metallic materials. This article, funded by Sicilian Region on the ERDF 2014-2020, presents a novel approach to improving the performance of composite armor panels by using advanced numerical methods and sophisticated optimization tools.image (c) 2023 WILEY-VCH GmbH