Abstract:
The paper presents a numerical simulation of ballistic impact on composite laminated plates reinforced with Kevlar 29. The simulation uses the finite difference numerical code AUTODYN-3D, a hydrocode designed for non-linear transient dynamic events like ballistic impact. A key focus is the estimation of the V 50 and global damage caused by a STANAG-2920 projectile. The simulations incorporate a new material model specifically for the shock response of anisotropic materials, which couples non-linear anisotropic constitutive relations with a Mie-Grüneisen equation of state. This model is crucial for representing the complex behavior of composite materials under impact, including phenomena like material anisotropy, shock response, and anisotropic strength degradation. The simulation results, which show good correlation with experimental data from tests conducted at the Navy School in Lisbon and Ernst-Mach-Institut in Germany, demonstrate the effectiveness of using hydrocode-based simulations to predict ballistic performance and reduce the need for extensive experimental testing. Specifically, the numerical estimate for V 50 was 380 m/s, differing from the experimental value of 375.8 m/s by only 1%. The simulations also accurately replicated the shape and area of delamination damage observed in the experiments. This work provides a foundation for using numerical models to predict the performance of ballistic armor.
