BALLISTIC IMPACT ON CERAMIC ARMOUR WITH DIFFERENT NOSED PROJECTILES: NUMERICAL STUDY

A 3D finite element model has been developed in this paper for ballistic impact on ceramic targets with three different thicknesses (4, 7,10mm) by three different nose projectiles (ogival, flat and hemispherical). The ceramic is modeled with a polynomial equation of state (EOS) using Johnson- Holmquist for the strength and JH1 for the failure model while the steel projectile is modeled with EOS shock type and Johnson-Cook Strength. This work investigates the influence of projectile head shape and the ceramic thickness on ballistic performance. It is found that the residual velocities and the amount of erosion that the projectile suffered are strongly affected by the shape of projectile head. Also the increasing the ceramic thickness leads to an increase the erosion rate and erosion amount, besides in increase in the absorbed energy