Experimental, analytical, and numerical investigation of the ballistic performance of three‐layer composite targets

Abstract In this research, the ballistic performance of three‐layer composite targets has been investigated using experimental, analytical, and numerical methods. In another research, an analytical equation was presented to estimate the value of the ballistic limit velocity of these targets. In this research, by using the experimental results, the amount of energy absorption of targets and their ballistic limit velocity were extracted. Then, the effect of each layer on ballistic resistance as well as the half angle of the conical crack in the ceramic layer was determined using a numerical method. Based on the experimental and numerical results, approximately 56.3% of the initial velocity of the projectile is reduced by the ceramic, and this velocity reduction is 25.9% and 17.8% for aluminum and polyurea, respectively. Based on the optimization results, the ceramic with 64.37% has the greatest effect in increasing the energy absorption, whereas the portion of polyurea and aluminum layers is 13.03% and 22.54%, respectively. In the analytical section, due to the large difference between the results of the Florence's equation and the experimental results, the Florence's equation was modified. Then, this modified equation was developed for the three‐layer ceramic–polyurea–aluminum target and a new equation was derived to predict ballistic limit velocity.