Ballistic resistance of hybrid-cored sandwich plates: Numerical and experimental assessment

The impact responses and ballistic resistance of sandwich plates having three different types of hybrid cores are investigated. The hybrid cores include metallic pyramidal lattice trusses, metallic pyramidal lattice trusses with ceramic prism insertions, and metallic pyramidal lattice trusses with ceramic prism insertions and void-filling epoxy resin. Three-dimensional (3D) finite element (FE) simulations are carried out for each sandwich type impacted by a hemispherical projectile. Upon validating the FE simulation results with experimental measurements, the ballistic limit velocity, energy absorption and failure mechanisms for each type of the sandwich as well as the influence of key material, structural and topological parameters are investigated systematically. Sandwich plates having metallic pyramidal lattice core with ceramic insertions and epoxy resin filling void spaces are found to outperform the other two sandwich types. It is also demonstrated that the back face-sheet plays a more significant role than the front face-sheet in resisting ballistic impacts. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.