Damage Assessment in TiB2 Ceramic Armor Targets

The interaction between long rods and ceramics is only partially understood; however, this understanding is essential in the design of improved performance of impact-resistant materials and armor system design applications. The current work takes a preliminary look into the modem mythology surrounding the formation of radial cracking in ceramics during ballistic penetration. Tests were conducted using a 32-g tungsten alloy laboratory penetrator with a length to diameter ratio (L/D) = 20 at a nominal impact velocity of 1,600 m/s. Testing evaluated both prestressed and unstressed titanium diboride (TiB2) ceramic tiles. Evaluation of the damage included microstructural analysis using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) with a Robinson backscatter detector for surface structure, the x-ray computed tomography (CT) nondestructive technique to completely scan the interior of each disk, and limited analytical modeling of the stress state.Army Research Lab Aberdeen Proving Ground Weapons and Materials Research Directorate is the author of 'Damage Assessment in TiB2 Ceramic Armor Targets', published 2001 under ISBN 9781423550259 and ISBN 1423550250.