Ballistic Response of a Glass Fiber Composite for Two Levels of Threat
This paper presents the behavior of composite panels based on glass fiber unidirectional fabrics and a bi-component epoxy resin under ballistic impacts that characterize two threat levels: FB2 and FB3, according to EN 1523:2004. The tested panels had characteristics kept in narrow ranges: thickness...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Polymers |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/15/4/1039 |
| _version_ | 1797618543093612544 |
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| author | George Ghiocel Ojoc Larisa Chiper Titire Cristian Munteniță Cătălin Pîrvu Simona Sandu Lorena Deleanu |
| author_facet | George Ghiocel Ojoc Larisa Chiper Titire Cristian Munteniță Cătălin Pîrvu Simona Sandu Lorena Deleanu |
| author_sort | George Ghiocel Ojoc |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper presents the behavior of composite panels based on glass fiber unidirectional fabrics and a bi-component epoxy resin under ballistic impacts that characterize two threat levels: FB2 and FB3, according to EN 1523:2004. The tested panels had characteristics kept in narrow ranges: thickness 18.26 ± 0.22 mm, mass ratio fabrics/panel 0.788 ± 0.015, surface density 27.51 ± 0.26 kg/m<sup>2</sup>. After testing the panels, the failure mechanisms of the panel were evidenced by scanning electron microscopy and photographs. Here the authors present a finite-element model at meso scale that was used for evaluating if the composite, initially tested at level FB2 (9 mm FMJ, v<sub>0</sub> = 375 m/s), could withstand the higher level of impact, FB3 (projectile type 0.357 Magnum and impact velocity of v<sub>0</sub> = 433 m/s). Simulation was performed in Explicit Dynamics (Ansys), keeping the same target but changing the projectile for the two different levels of threat. The results of the simulation were encouraging for making tests at level FB3, indicating the importance of alternating actual tests with simulations in order to achieve better protection with reduced surface weight. The simulation illustrated differences in impact duration and number of layers broken on the panel for each level. Validation of the model was based on the number of broken layers and the dimension of the delamination zone between the last two layers. Scanning electron microscopy was used for identifying failure mechanisms at the micro and meso scale. We found that damage to the composite was intensively dependent on impact velocity, this being quantitatively evaluated using the number of layers broken, the effect of delamination on separating layers and the deformation of the last layer. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:14:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d3dbebc6f3a64bcb9118a36f0f6006df |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4360 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:14:13Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Polymers |
| spelling | doaj.art-d3dbebc6f3a64bcb9118a36f0f6006df2023-11-16T22:53:18ZengMDPI AGPolymers2073-43602023-02-01154103910.3390/polym15041039Ballistic Response of a Glass Fiber Composite for Two Levels of ThreatGeorge Ghiocel Ojoc0Larisa Chiper Titire1Cristian Munteniță2Cătălin Pîrvu3Simona Sandu4Lorena Deleanu5Faculty of Engineering, “Dunarea de Jos” University, 800008 Galati, RomaniaFaculty of Engineering, “Dunarea de Jos” University, 800008 Galati, RomaniaFaculty of Engineering, “Dunarea de Jos” University, 800008 Galati, RomaniaNational Institute for Aero-Space Research (INCAS) “Elie Carafoli”, 061126 Bucharest, RomaniaCenter for Research and Innovation for CBRN Defense and Ecology, 02512 Bucharest, RomaniaFaculty of Engineering, “Dunarea de Jos” University, 800008 Galati, RomaniaThis paper presents the behavior of composite panels based on glass fiber unidirectional fabrics and a bi-component epoxy resin under ballistic impacts that characterize two threat levels: FB2 and FB3, according to EN 1523:2004. The tested panels had characteristics kept in narrow ranges: thickness 18.26 ± 0.22 mm, mass ratio fabrics/panel 0.788 ± 0.015, surface density 27.51 ± 0.26 kg/m<sup>2</sup>. After testing the panels, the failure mechanisms of the panel were evidenced by scanning electron microscopy and photographs. Here the authors present a finite-element model at meso scale that was used for evaluating if the composite, initially tested at level FB2 (9 mm FMJ, v<sub>0</sub> = 375 m/s), could withstand the higher level of impact, FB3 (projectile type 0.357 Magnum and impact velocity of v<sub>0</sub> = 433 m/s). Simulation was performed in Explicit Dynamics (Ansys), keeping the same target but changing the projectile for the two different levels of threat. The results of the simulation were encouraging for making tests at level FB3, indicating the importance of alternating actual tests with simulations in order to achieve better protection with reduced surface weight. The simulation illustrated differences in impact duration and number of layers broken on the panel for each level. Validation of the model was based on the number of broken layers and the dimension of the delamination zone between the last two layers. Scanning electron microscopy was used for identifying failure mechanisms at the micro and meso scale. We found that damage to the composite was intensively dependent on impact velocity, this being quantitatively evaluated using the number of layers broken, the effect of delamination on separating layers and the deformation of the last layer.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/15/4/1039glass fiber compositeepoxy resinballistic impactfinite element modelcohesive zone model |
| spellingShingle | George Ghiocel Ojoc Larisa Chiper Titire Cristian Munteniță Cătălin Pîrvu Simona Sandu Lorena Deleanu Ballistic Response of a Glass Fiber Composite for Two Levels of Threat Polymers glass fiber composite epoxy resin ballistic impact finite element model cohesive zone model |
| title | Ballistic Response of a Glass Fiber Composite for Two Levels of Threat |
| title_full | Ballistic Response of a Glass Fiber Composite for Two Levels of Threat |
| title_fullStr | Ballistic Response of a Glass Fiber Composite for Two Levels of Threat |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ballistic Response of a Glass Fiber Composite for Two Levels of Threat |
| title_short | Ballistic Response of a Glass Fiber Composite for Two Levels of Threat |
| title_sort | ballistic response of a glass fiber composite for two levels of threat |
| topic | glass fiber composite epoxy resin ballistic impact finite element model cohesive zone model |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/15/4/1039 |
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