A Hybrid Protection System for Afvs – a Literature Survey Report Dr
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ISSN: 2277-3754 ISO 9001:2008 Certified International Journal of Engineering and Innovative Technology (IJEIT) Volume 3, Issue 6, December 2013 Integrated Survivability Concept - A Hybrid Protection System for AFVs – A Literature Survey Report Dr. J. Roopchand Additional Director, CVRDE, AVADI, INDIA Means of Surviving Hits Abstract— Most of the current combat vehicles were solely made of Rolled Homogenous Armour (RHA) steel to counter the IV. PASSIVE ARMOUR anti tank projectile threats. But the threat to combat vehicle has increased manifold due to advancement in weapon technologies Passive armour [3] is classified into three categories: and there is a necessity of protecting the vehicle from these Metallic weapons threats. The protections by means of RHA Steel will lead Non-metallic to increase in weight, which affects the tactical mobility of the Special materials vehicle. Hence, the concept of protection has to give way for the concept of survivability with more exotic form of protection A. Metallic Armour methods and counter measures. This paper highlights integrated survivability concept, direct protection systems and indirect Metallic armour: can be classified into the following protection system constituting hybrid protection concept. categories: Steel armour Index Terms— Integrated Survivability, Direct protection, Aluminum armour Secondary protection, indirect protection system. Titanium armour Du armour I. INTRODUCTION Rolled Homogenous Armour (RHA) steel is primary Combat vehicle is a complex weapon platform. The main metallic armour used for combat vehicles because of its role of the combat vehicle is to counter another contemporary strength, toughness, hardness and relatively reasonable cost. vehicle firing Kinetic and chemical energy Projectiles. Most It is used as plates, although it is bent to a limited extent to of the current combat vehicles were solely made of Rolled form curved pieces. It can be welded into a vehicle structure Homogenous Armour (RHA) steel to counter these threats. with least difficulties. But the threat to combat vehicle has increased manifold due to Aluminum (AL) alloy armour is lightweight, generally advancement in weapon technologies and there is a necessity used in light armoured vehicles, but the medium and large of protecting the vehicle from these weapons threats. The calibre projectiles impacting on heavy aluminum alloy plates protections by means of RHA Steel alone or in combination produces cracks as well as spall. It also has a tendency to with Reactive armor will lead to increase in weight, which produce pyrophoric impact debris. These disadvantages affects the tactical mobility of the vehicle. Hence, the concept coupled with its higher cost make it less attractive for of protection has to give way for the concept of survivability armoured Vehicles. with a lighter and agile combat system [1]. As the future Titanium Armour (TA) is now affordable for armoured vehicles are to be highly agile and light weight, there is a need vehicle application and used in the light armored vehicles but for more exotic form of protection methods and counter it requires special welding technique. measures for the survival of the vehicles against enemy threat. Depleted Uranium (DU) is considered as one of the best material for armour application. The density and hardness of II. MEANS OF ACHIEVING SURVIVABILITY DU is more than the steel. DU armour is very effective against The Integrated Survivability can be achieved by the the KE projectile. But this armour produces toxic gases on following means [2]: impact of the projectiles, which will harm the crew and hence Direct Protection System its application as armour is limited. The properties of the Indirect Protection System metallic armour are given the Table 1. Table 1: Properties of Metallic Armour III. DIRECT PROTECION SYSTEM It is the ability of the tank to survive from a projectile hit. Properties RHA AL TA DU This system is categorized into the following: Tensile 1170 350 970 825-1000 strength MPa Passive Armour Density g/cc 7.86 2.70 4.50 19.00 Reactive Armour 228 ISSN: 2277-3754 ISO 9001:2008 Certified International Journal of Engineering and Innovative Technology (IJEIT) Volume 3, Issue 6, December 2013 B. Non Metallic Armour Table 2: Mechanical Properties of ceramic materials Non metallic armour: can be classified into the following Material Density Hardness Young’s Fracture categories: g/cc GPa modulus toughness Ceramic Armour GPa Mpa Polymer Matrix Composites (m)1/2 Al2O3 3.68 20 380 3.234 Function of ceramic materials at the front facing of the B4C 2.5 49 400 3.66 SiC 3.2 33 370 4.38 armour [4] is for TiB2 4.5 33 570 8.0 Blunting the projectile ZTA 4.1 16 360 8.0 Erosion of the projectile AIN 3.26 11.2 310 2.49 Deformation, cracking and fracture Breaking of the projectile The Polymer Matrix Composite [5] has the following Absorbing the Kinetic Energy of the Impact reinforcing fibres: Glass fibres Variety of ceramic materials is being used for armour Aramid /Kevlar application due their higher protection efficiency and low Dyneema density. The ceramic material generally preferred for armour Spectra application are listed below: Glass Fibers are the most common of all the reinforcing Aluminum Oxide Al2O3 fibres of Polymers Matrix Composite. The Advantage of the Silicon Oxide - SiC glass fibre is high tensile strength, high hardness, high Zirconium Toughened Aluminia - ZTA Chemical resistance and low cost. But they are relatively low Boron carbide- B4C tensile modulus, high specific gravity and low fatigue Titanium Diboride - TiB2 resistance. Types of glass fibers are generally preferred for Aluminium Nitrate - AIN armour applications are E Glass and S Glass. A lower cost version of S Glass is S2 Glass. S2 Glass fibres offer Aluminium Oxide / Alumina (Al2O3) is a most widely used significantly more strength than the conventional fibers. It ceramics for armour application. The higher percentage of offers 85% more strength in impregnated strands. Better fibre Alumina is generally preferred. The percentage of alumina toughness, modulus of resilience and impact deformation than ranges from 85% to 99.5% aluminium oxide. It has moderate conventional glass fibres. Laminates made from S2 glass fibre strength, hardness and Toughness. provides an inherent balance of tensile, compressive, stiffness Zirconia Toughed Alumina (ZTA): Alumina ceramic and fatigue properties as well as the ability to perform as a materials have limited its usage because of its poor fracture ballistic material. toughness. This can be improved by incorporating zirconia in Aramid fibers [6] are the generic name for aromatic to an alumina matrix to give dramatically higher toughness polyamide fibres. DUPONT introduced Aramid fibres under values and substantially higher fracture strengths. It has high the trade name of Kevlar. Kevlar is used for high performance hardness and toughness with moderate density. composite applications where lightweight, high strength, high Silicon Carbide (SiC) is hard and corrosion resistant. It is stiffness, damage resistance, fatigue resistance and stress excellent in high wear and chemically aggressive rupture are important. Two commercial used Kevlar types are environments. It also has strength and moderate density and toughness. Kevlar 29 Boron Carbide (B4C) is an Ultra high hard, light weight Kevlar 49 material. It has low volume mass, low toughness and High effective cross section of neutron. It has very high erosion Dyneema [8] is patented product of DCM. It is made of resistance property. This material provides the lightest weight Ultra High Molecular weight (UHMW) polyethylene fibres. available for Aircraft and Helicopter use. They are used in air This fibre is produced under the trade name of Dyneema. It is craft and helicopter systems for armour, integrated seating, a high strength, high modulus, high energy absorbing floor and side panels and many fixed wing panel assemblies. capability and low weight fibres suitable for all the ballistic applications. DCM developed following type of Dyneema Titanium boride (TiB2) has high strength and high hardness based products: but it has high density. Aluminum Nitrate (AIN) has very high Dyneema SK60 thermal conductivity and corrosion resistance. Mechanical Dyneema SK 65 Properties of the different type of ceramic materials are given Dyneema SK 75 in the Table 2. Dyneema SK 76 229 ISSN: 2277-3754 ISO 9001:2008 Certified International Journal of Engineering and Innovative Technology (IJEIT) Volume 3, Issue 6, December 2013 Spectra fibre [9] and shield technology is a patented embodying superfine particles using nono technology product of Honeywell, USA. It is a synthetic yarn made of [11]. This armour material will have greater ductility extended chain, high modulus polyethylene fibre. Because the with hardness and giving an unparalleled multi- hit spectra fibre is a polyethylene with a carbon-carbon capability. Carbon nano tube / Nono fiber reinforced molecular structure likes that of a diamond, it creates a composite will impart improved properties to continuous filament yarn with incredible performance and armoured materials that enables higher protection endurance. It is designed to provide super fine, super strong level with reduced weight. and ultra light weight fibres for armour. Spectra fibre Functionally Graded Material: It is a multi-layered withstands high loads stain rate velocities and exhibits material of different properties. The materials