Ballistic Performance of Epoxy-Ramie Composite - SiC Layered Body Armor Using Finite Element Analysis

Abstract:

Composite body armor has widely used as bulletproof material combined with hard plates made from ceramic or metals. That replaced the use of full-metals body armor that heavy, rigid, and restricts the user's movement. This study investigates the ballistic performance of SiC-based hard layer body armor on its possible impact position using finite element analysis. The body armor panel consists both of soft and hard layers. The soft layer is made from epoxy-ramie composite which is a natural fiber composite. The hard layer made from hexagonal chip l SiC with 4 mm thickness in an array. There are three possible impact points on the chip which are the center of the chip, between two chips, and between three chips. The soft layer is varied at a range of 6-25 mm depending on its capability to comply with the latest NIJ 0101.07-2019 criteria for RF1. NIJ has several criteria for ballistic performance. This paper discusses panel penetration and Back-face Deformation (BFD) based NIJ. Besides, this paper also discusses the impact of energy absorption and velocity reduction of the bullet by the panel.

• Periodical: Key Engineering Materials (Volume 941)
• Pages: 271-277
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/p-5755oc
• Online since: March 2023
• Authors: Ahmat Safaat*, Sutikno Sutikno
• Keywords: Ballistic Performance Test, Body Armor, Si-C – Epoxy-Ramie

References

[1] S. Citation, Testing of Body Armor Materials: Phase III. 2012.

[2] Z. Cai, X. Huang, Y. Xia, G. Li, and Z. Fan, "Study on behind Helmet Blunt Trauma Caused by High-Speed Bullet," Appl. Bionics Biomech., vol. 2020, 2020.

DOI: 10.1155/2020/2348064

[3] D. J. Carr, I. Horsfall, and C. Malbon, "Is behind armour blunt trauma a real threat to users of body armour? A systematic review," J. R. Army Med. Corps, vol. 162, no. 1, p.8–11, 2016.

DOI: 10.1136/jramc-2013-000161

[4] L. Cannon, "Behind armour blunt trauma--an emerging problem.," J. R. Army Med. Corps, vol. 147, no. 1, p.87–96, 2001.

DOI: 10.1136/jramc-147-01-09

[5] C. R. Bass et al., "Injury risk in behind armor blunt thoracic trauma," Int. J. Occup. Saf. Ergon., vol. 12, no. 4, p.429–442, 2006.

DOI: 10.1080/10803548.2006.11076702

[6] R. L. Mabry et al., "United States Army Rangers in Somalia: an analysis of combat casualties on an urban battlefield.," J. Trauma, vol. 49, no. 3, p.515–519, Sep. 2000.

DOI: 10.1097/00005373-200009000-00021

[7] M. Muster, A. Hameed, and D. Wood, "Ricochet quantification using a multiple sensor approach," Def. Technol., vol. 17, no. 2, p.305–314, 2021.

DOI: 10.1016/j.dt.2020.02.017

[8] G. Guo, S. Alam, and L. D. Peel, "Numerical analysis of ballistic impact performance of two ceramic-based armor structures," Compos. Part C Open Access, vol. 3, no. July, p.100061, 2020.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomc.2020.100061

[9] R. T. Tang and H. M. Wen, "Predicting the perforation of ceramic-faced light armors subjected to projectile impact," Int. J. Impact Eng., vol. 102, p.55–61, Apr. 2017.

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijimpeng.2016.11.008

[10] D. B. Rahbek, J. W. Simons, B. B. Johnsen, T. Kobayashi, and D. A. Shockey, "Effect of composite covering on ballistic fracture damage development in ceramic plates," Int. J. Impact Eng., vol. 99, p.58–68, 2017.

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijimpeng.2016.09.010

[11] G. H. Yoon, J. S. Mo, K. H. Kim, C. H. Yoon, and N. H. Lim, "Investigation of bullet penetration in ballistic gelatin via finite element simulation and experiment," J. Mech. Sci. Technol., vol. 29, no. 9, p.3747–3759, 2015.

DOI: 10.1007/s12206-015-0821-7

[12] C. Stone, F. M. Windsor, M. Munday, and I. Durance, "Natural or synthetic – how global trends in textile usage threaten freshwater environments," Sci. Total Environ., vol. 718, p.134689, 2020.

DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134689

[13] K. Goda, M. S. Sreekala, A. Gomes, T. Kaji, and J. Ohgi, "Improvement of plant based natural fibers for toughening green composites-Effect of load application during mercerization of ramie fibers," Compos. Part A Appl. Sci. Manuf., vol. 37, no. 12, p.2213–2220, Dec. 2006.

DOI: 10.1016/j.compositesa.2005.12.014

[14] A. F. H. Mukhammad, Murni, Mujiyono, D. Nurhadiyanto, S. A. Hassan, and T. W. B. Riyadi, "Preliminary study of fragment simulating projectile on epoxy-ramie composite," J. Phys. Conf. Ser., vol. 1446, no. 1, 2020.

DOI: 10.1088/1742-6596/1446/1/012001

[15] Sutikno, A. Safaat, and K. H. S. Fendy, "Natural Fiber Reinforced Composites as Bulletproof Panel Materials," Key Eng. Mater., vol. 867, p.82–90, 2020.

DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.867.82

[16] M. Ravid, S. R. Bodner, and I. Holcman, "Analysis of very high-speed impact," Int. J. Eng. Sci., vol. 25, no. 4, p.473–482, Jan. 1987.

DOI: 10.1016/0020-7225(87)90073-5

[17] E. Liscio and R. Imran, "Angle of impact determination from bullet holes in a metal surface," 2020.

DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2020.110504

[18] S. Abrate, "Modeling of impacts on composite structures," Compos. Struct., vol. 51, no. 2, p.129–138, 2001.

DOI: 10.1016/S0263-8223(00)00138-0

[19] J. Wiley, T. Avenue, and N. York, "Selection and Application Guidelines," vol. 01, no. May, p.10158, 1999.

[20] T. Covered, "Silicon Carbide (SiC) Propertie and Application," p.1–2, 2001.