Ballistic impact performance of composite structures

One of the materials commonly used in the aerospace and automotive industries is polymer-based composites. It also has potential for even greater usage. In this paper the ballistic impact performance of some polymer-based composites is experimentally considered. This entailed the manufacture of a number of thermosetting resin composite specimens using the hand lay-up process. Thereafter ballistic testing was carried out using a variety of commonly available firearms with the resulting properties experimentally obtained using mechanical and ultrasonic methods. The results were compared relatively with previous studies. Finally the potential benefits for using such materials on an armoured saloon car is highlighted.