Ballistic impact behaviour of woven fabric composites: Parametric studies

Polymer matrix composites undergo various loading conditions during their service life. For the effective use of such materials for high performance applications, their behaviour under impact/ballistic impact loading should be clearly understood. This is because the polymer matrix composites are susceptible to impact/ballistic impact loading. Ballistic impact behaviour of composite targets depends upon target geometrical and material parameters as well as projectile parameters. In the present study, investigations on the ballistic impact behaviour of two-dimensional woven fabric E-glass/epoxy composites are presented as a function of projectile and target parameters. The ballistic impact behaviour predictions are based on the analytical method presented in our earlier work [N.K. Naik, P. Shrirao, Composite structures under ballistic impact, Compos. Struct. 66 (2004) 579]. Firstly, perforation and partial penetration of the projectile into the target and cone formation on the exit side of the target are studied. Further, effect of stress wave transmission factor is studied. The other parameters considered are: thickness of the target and mass and diameter of the projectile. Ballistic limit, contact duration at ballistic limit and residual velocity are presented as a function of different target and projectile parameters.