ABSTRACT
This paper reviews the recent researches in relation to the penetration and/or
perforation of metallic and composite target materials. The present survey deals with
targets impacted by projectiles travelling at intermediate velocity regime. The
deformation domain of various structural targets was mostly localized and existed within
a small region of 2-3 the projectile diameter. Recent years have a wide range of
significant experimental investigations related to the projectile-target configurations.
Although most of the work done have been concerned with the normal impact on
monolithic materials by using non-deformable projectiles, valuable examinations were
carried out on the inclined impact. Furthermore, impact performed by using deformable
projectiles was surveyed on non-homogeneous materials and composites included
laminated targets. It was found that through-the-thickness reinforcements enhanced the
ballistic resistance of the ceramic armours.
The analytical developments enabled to predict the important characteristics of the
penetration and/or perforation process were reviewed. These simulations are able to
model the local failure modes and the global deformations of various target geometries.
In particular cases, when both the local and the global deformation mechanisms were
acted in an irregular behaviours during the target collapse, the ordinary models were
incapable of predicting accurately the target response and more complicated models
were strongly recommended. The common numerical codes mostly used in the
simulation of the structures under impact are briefly reviewed and their capabilities and
limitations are deeply discussed.