X-ray Computed Tomography for the Development of Ballistic Composite
Grzegorz Ziółkowski,
Joanna Pach,
Dariusz Pyka,
Tomasz Kurzynowski,
Krzysztof Jamroziak
Affiliations
Grzegorz Ziółkowski
Centre for Advanced Manufacturing Technologies/Fraunhofer Project Center (CAMT/FPC), Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Lukasiewicza 5, 50-371 Wroclaw, Poland
Joanna Pach
Department of Lightweight Elements Engineering, Foundry and Automation, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Lukasiewicza 5, 50-371 Wroclaw, Poland
Dariusz Pyka
Department of Mechanics, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Smoluchowskiego 25, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland
Tomasz Kurzynowski
Centre for Advanced Manufacturing Technologies/Fraunhofer Project Center (CAMT/FPC), Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Lukasiewicza 5, 50-371 Wroclaw, Poland
Krzysztof Jamroziak
Department of Mechanics, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Smoluchowskiego 25, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland
This paper presents the results of research on ballistic panels made of polymer–matrix composites (PMCs). The analysis covers two types of composites produced by the authors based on high-density polyethylene (PEHD) and polypropylene (PP) reinforced with aramid fabric. Ballistic tests were carried out with the use of two types of projectile: 0.38 Special, and 9 × 19 Parabellum, which are characterized by different velocity and projectile energy. The study presents the X-ray computed tomography (XCT) analysis for structure assessment of ballistic panels and its impact behavior, further compared to the results of computer simulations conducted using the numerical analysis. The quality of the manufactured panels and their damage caused by a ballistic impact was assessed using a multi-scale geometry reconstruction. The mesoscale XCT allowed the internal composite geometry to be analyzed, as well as a unit cell of the representative volume element (RVE) model to be built. The RVE model was applied for homogenization and finite element (FEA) simulation of projectile penetration through the ballistic panel. The macroscale XCT investigation allowed for the quantitative description of the projectile’s impact on the degree of delamination and deformation of the panels’ geometry.
