Development of a New Armor Steel and its Ballistic Performance

In this study, a boron added armor steel was developed according to standard rolled homogenous armor steel, MIL-A-12560, and metallographic-fractographic examinations were carried out to understand its deformation characteristics and perforation mode after interaction with a 7.62 mm armor piercing projectile. The microstructure of the developed steel was characterized by light and scanning electron microscope to evaluate its matrix after application of several heat treatments consisting of austenization, quenching and tempering. The mechanical properties of the developed steel were determined by tensile test at room temperature and notched impact test at -40 ºC. The ballistic performance of developed steel was determined by its V50 ballistic protection limit according to MIL-STD-662F standard and it was found to be higher than that of MIL-A-12560 steel. After perforation deformation induced adiabatic shear bands, that have an important role on the crack nucleation, were observed close to the penetration in the etched steel and perforation occurred by typical ductile hole enlargement with certain radial flows.Defence Science Journal, 2013, 63(3), pp.271-277, DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dsj.63.134

Ballistic Impact Behaviour of a Tempered Bainitic Steel Against 7.62 mm Armour Piercing Projectile

In this study, occurence of failure after the interaction between an armour piercing 7.62 mm caliber projectile and a tempered bainitic steel has been investigated. The shot was performed at zero degree with a projectile velocity of 840 m/s. After the shot, microstructural and fractographical examinations were carried out on the sample taken from the perforated region. In the etched sample, it was observed that the morphology of the original microstructure had changed and adiabatic shear bands (ASBs) were formed in regions close to the direction of penetration. Main failure is ductile (plastic) deformation was followed by cleavage after shot. Cracks due to adiabatic shear band and formation of abrasive wear were seen. The perforation mode of the steel was a typical petalling.Defence Science Journal, 2011, 61(1), pp.81-87, DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dsj.61.41