Progress in Imaging Visualization of Impact Damage in Armor Ceramics with XCT

摘要

To better design and develop lighter and more efficient metallic and ceramic armor materials, it is necessary to develop an improved understanding of the material damage created during impact. While appreciable computational modeling and experimental testing emphasis has been focused on the penetration process, considerably less attention has been expended on the physical damage of the target material itself. Such material impact damage consists primarily of micro- and meso-scale cracking on the surface and in the interior of the target material. To date, it has been impractical to study the interior damage details in real time during the impact event. However, the post-impact detailed nondestructive examination of internal meso-scale impact material damage has been effectively demonstrated utilizing x-ray computed tomography, XCT. Various image reconstructions, damage quantification and analysis, and scientific visualization techniques are employed and discussed relating to ballistic impact damage in ceramic armor materials.