Ballistic performance of multi-layered aluminium and UHMWPE fibre laminate targets subjected to hypervelocity impact by tungsten alloy ball

Multi-layered structures have been widely used in defence, marine, aerospace and automotive engineering. It is radical to comprehend the dynamic response of such structures under impact loadings and to design optimal structures to resist ballistic penetration. In this study, hypervelocity projectile impact experiments were conducted to explore the penetration resistance of spaced multi-layered aluminium and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibre laminate targets. Experimental results including crater diameter, depth of penetration (DOP) and energy absorption capacity of multi-layered targets were measured and then discussed, from which it was evident that the combined use of aluminium and UHMWPE fibre laminates was the most effective in resisting projectile impact considering both the dynamic performance and light weight. Based on the validated simulation models, further parametric studies were conducted to investigate the effect of air space between adjacent layers, number and order of layers on the ballistic performance of multi-layered aluminium and UHMWPE fibre laminate targets.