Study of parameters for forming hexagonal bulletproof ceramic armor plate

Abstract

This research had two objectives that were to study parameters for forming bulletproof ceramic armor plates and to create a model of a bulletproof ceramic armor plate for small armored regular trucks. The parameters used to form a ceramic armor plate contain the thickness of the armor plate and the compressive strength, which affects the density distribution of the green compact. A ballistic ceramic armor plate with a hexagonal shaped material was created as a concave bulletproof plate. Extrusion results displayed that the hexagonal material was formed at a very high density on the side surface of the armor plate but with uneven capacity distributed across the overall plate, due to the friction occurring on the wall of the mold. The finite element method, particularly at the Ansys/Explicit Dynamic tools were applied to analyse the damage of bulletproof plates. The model of a concave-shaped bulletproof plate was set for the SKD11material, influencing the changes in the direction of the bullet firing when the bullet hit the bulletproof plate at a velocity of 880 m/s in accordance with the NIJ 4 standard. The bullet was made of tungsten carbide and the ceramic armor plate was built with a size of 300×300 mm and thicknesses of 14, 16, 18, and 20 mm. The bullet was fired into the center part and onto the curved surface of the ceramic plate. The result shows that the armor plate could not resistant to penetration. In this situation, the direction of the bullet's movement against the armor plate especially at a curved surface as a slope could result the deflection of the bullet direction as well as reduction of penetration capability.