Dynamic Damage and Energy Dissipation Mechanisms of B₄C Ceramic/Fiber Laminated Composite Armor

ABSTRACT

Ceramic/fiber laminated composite armor represents a significant advancement in ballistic armor technology, offering notable advantages in providing lightweight protection. A finite element model of B₄C ceramic/Carbon Fiber‐Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) composite armor, incorporating strain‐rate effects, was developed to evaluate its performance under high‐velocity impacts. Under equal areal density conditions, the 5 mm B₄C/10 mm CFRP configuration exhibited the highest specific energy absorption efficiency and the lowest residual projectile energy. Numerical simulations reveal a synergistic protection mechanism for composite armor: the ceramic layer forms conical cracks and fragments upon impact, dissipating energy through crack propagation and brittle fragmentation, while the CFRP fiber layer absorbs residual kinetic energy through progressive fiber failure, matrix cracking, and interlaminar delamination. Comparative analysis indicates that the thickness of the ceramic layer primarily affects the initial energy dissipation efficiency; excessively thick ceramic layers reduce energy transfer efficiency, whereas adequate fiber layer thickness enhances secondary energy absorption through stress homogenization. This research offers valuable insights into the design of lightweight composite armor with an optimized ceramic‐to‐fiber thickness ratio.