The ballistic performance,and behaviour,of an armour system is governed by two major sets of variables,geometrical and material.Of these,the consistency of performance,especially against small arms ammunition,will dep...The ballistic performance,and behaviour,of an armour system is governed by two major sets of variables,geometrical and material.Of these,the consistency of performance,especially against small arms ammunition,will depend upon the consistency of the properties of the constituent materials.In a body armour system for example,fibre diameter,areal density of woven fabric,and bulk density of ceramic are examples of critical parameters and monitoring such parameters will form the backbone of associated quality control procedures.What is often overlooked,because it can fall into the User’s domain,are the interfaces that exist between the various products;the carrier,the Soft Armour Insert(SAI),and the one or two hard armour plates(HAP1 and HAP2).This is especially true if the various products are sourced from different suppliers.展开更多
This is a very timely review of body armour materials and systems since new test standards are currently being written, or reviewed, and new, innovative products released. Of greatest importance, however, is the recen...This is a very timely review of body armour materials and systems since new test standards are currently being written, or reviewed, and new, innovative products released. Of greatest importance, however, is the recent evolution, and maturity, of the Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene fibres enabling a completely new style of system to evolve e a stackable system of Hard Armour Plates. The science of body armour materials is quickly reviewed with emphasis upon current understanding of relevant energy-absorbing mechanisms in fibres, fabrics, polymeric laminates and ceramics. The trend in ongoing developments in ballistic fibres is then reviewed, analysed and future projections offered. Weaknesses in some of the ceramic grades are highlighted as is the value of using cladding materials to improve the robustness, and multi-strike performance, of Hard Armour Plates. Finally, with the drive for lighter, and therefore smaller, soft armour systems for military personnel the challenges for armour designers are reported, and the importance of the relative size of the Hard Armour Plate to the Soft Armour Insert is strongly emphasised.展开更多
文摘The ballistic performance,and behaviour,of an armour system is governed by two major sets of variables,geometrical and material.Of these,the consistency of performance,especially against small arms ammunition,will depend upon the consistency of the properties of the constituent materials.In a body armour system for example,fibre diameter,areal density of woven fabric,and bulk density of ceramic are examples of critical parameters and monitoring such parameters will form the backbone of associated quality control procedures.What is often overlooked,because it can fall into the User’s domain,are the interfaces that exist between the various products;the carrier,the Soft Armour Insert(SAI),and the one or two hard armour plates(HAP1 and HAP2).This is especially true if the various products are sourced from different suppliers.
文摘This is a very timely review of body armour materials and systems since new test standards are currently being written, or reviewed, and new, innovative products released. Of greatest importance, however, is the recent evolution, and maturity, of the Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene fibres enabling a completely new style of system to evolve e a stackable system of Hard Armour Plates. The science of body armour materials is quickly reviewed with emphasis upon current understanding of relevant energy-absorbing mechanisms in fibres, fabrics, polymeric laminates and ceramics. The trend in ongoing developments in ballistic fibres is then reviewed, analysed and future projections offered. Weaknesses in some of the ceramic grades are highlighted as is the value of using cladding materials to improve the robustness, and multi-strike performance, of Hard Armour Plates. Finally, with the drive for lighter, and therefore smaller, soft armour systems for military personnel the challenges for armour designers are reported, and the importance of the relative size of the Hard Armour Plate to the Soft Armour Insert is strongly emphasised.
