Study on impact response of laminated woven fabric rubber composite armour against shaped charge jet

The performance of different types of laminated woven fabric rubber composite armours (WFRCAs) against a 56 mm diameter shaped charge at 688 NATO angle is investigated. WFRCA is a laminated armour element consisting of the following layers: steel, woven fabric, rubber and steel. Carbon, glass, Kevlar and poly(phenylene benzobizoxazole) (PBO) woven fabrics are used as reinforcement materials. The effects of the four types of woven fabric on the efficiency factors were studied. Several X-ray tests made the interaction between the shaped charge jet and the laminated WFRCAs visible. The effect of the interaction region between the jet and the armour plate was also discussed. A microscopic study of the edge of the fabric, rubber and steel plates after shaped charge jet impact was conducted to evaluate the structure and composition. The defeat mechanism in the PBO WFRCA target is different from the mechanisms of other composite armour types.