Microstructural and mechanical responses of various aluminum alloys to ballistic impacts by armor piercing projectile

摘要

The ballistic performances and deformation behaviors of AA5052-H112, AA5083-H112, AA6061-T6, and AA7075-T651 aluminum alloy plates struck by 7.62 mm armor piercing projectiles were investigated. Ballistic impact tests were performed using 25 mm thick aluminum alloy plates with different projectile velocities to obtain the ballistic limit velocity (V-50). Microstructural and mechanical responses to the ballistic impacts were studied using optical microscopy, electron backscattered diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and hardness measurements. Finite element analysis was performed to simulate the deformation behavior of the materials of interest. The ballistic limit velocity exhibited a linear relationship with the hardness and yield strength of the alloys, but not with the tensile strength or elongation. Ductile hole formation and strain hardening were observed in the AA5052-H112 and AA5083-H112 alloy plates, whereas AA6061-T6 exhibited both strain hardening and softening behaviors. The AA7075-T651 plate failed by a spalling mechanism accompanied by formation of adiabatic shear bands.