Design, manufacture, and analysis of ceramic-composite armor

The need for lightweight, thin, and low-cost personal protection systems to defeat high-end threats is a real, challenging need. A typical US soldier in the battlefield is protected by an armored tactical vest that weighs between 30 and 35. lb. Armor systems made of ceramic and composite materials are widely used in ballistic applications to defeat armor-piercing projectiles. Ceramic armor has evolved greatly over many decades and at this point the characteristics and properties of the ceramic itself have been optimized. Further improvements in ballistic performance will require a combination of identifying preferred armor configurations while continuing to strive to achieve the lowest possible areal densities. The role of computer modeling is expected to continue to grow in the search for the lightest and most efficient armor configurations for a variety of threats. In this chapter we take a look at ceramics as an armor material and discuss the manufacture, usage, and computer modeling of the material.