Effect of layering on ballistic properties of metallic shields against sharp-nosed rigid projectiles

On the basis of general assumptions that are pertinent to penetration modeling, we investigated the effect of layering of metallic shields on their protective characteristics against sharp-nosed rigid impactors and established/explained a number of general features of the penetration phenomenon. The main results can be formulated as follows: (i) any layering has an adverse effect on protective properties of the shield against perforation, (ii) increasing the number of layers with the same thicknesses impairs protective properties of the shield. These assertions are validated by analyzing results of experiments and numerical calculations available in the literature that allow comparing protective properties of monolithic and layered shields.