Effect of Varied Layer-Content/Thickness on Ballistic Performance of a Functionally Graded Al₂O₃/ZrO₂ Material

Abstract

This study compared the ballistic performance of alumina (Al2O3)/ zirconia (ZrO2) functionally graded material (FGM) specimens with various levels of thickness and ZrO2 content and a pure Al2O3 single-layer ceramic composite (PCM). Ballistic tests were conducted with 0.3-inch armor-piercing (AP) projectiles, and finite element code LS-DYNA was used to examine energy absorption, stress distribution, and ceramic cone failure in the specimens. The findings are as follows: First, regarding energy absorption per unit of areal density, the 5% FGMs had the highest ballistic performance, which increased by up to 8%. By contrast, the ballistic performance of the 15% FGMs declined significantly to lower than that of the PCM. Second, the capability of the ceramic cone to withstand stress damage and projectiles was significantly greater in the 5% FGMs than in the 15% FGMs. Third, the wave impedance variations increased with the ZrO2 content in each layer, thereby enhancing the interactions between impact waves and aggravating ceramic damage. Thus, the intensities of transmission and reflection waves in the 15% FGMs increased, thereby causing reductions in its ballistic performance.

Experimental study on structure optimization of functionally graded sandwich plates under ballistic impact

“…In FGSPs, an increase in volumetric ratio of ceramic components increases the wave impedance variations which in turn strengthen the interactions between the stress waves, consequently led to enlarged failures. A similar result is also observed by Chen and Huang 16 that they observed increased failures when zirconia fraction is increased in layers.…”

“…Chen and Huang 16 investigated the ballistic performance of FGM specimens with different thicknesses at various alumina (Al2O3)/zirconia ( ZrO 2 ) compositions. They compared these results with a pure Al2O3 single-layer ceramic specimen.…”