Superelement Analysis of TileReinforced Composite Armor.pdfVIP

Analysis of Tile-Reinforced Composite Armor Part 1: Advanced Modeling and Strength Analyses C. G. Dávila, Tzi-Kang Chen, and D. J. Baker Army Research Laboratory, Vehicle Technology Center NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA 23681 Abstract The results of an analytical and experimental study of the structural response and strength of tile-reinforced compo- nents of the Composite Armored Vehicle are presented. The analyses are based on specialized finite element techniques that properly account for the effects of the interaction between the armor tiles, the surrounding elastomers, and the glass-epoxy sublaminates. To validate the analytical predictions, tests were conducted with panels subjected to three-point bending loads. The sequence of progressive failure events for the laminates is described. This paper describes the results of Part 1 of a study of the response and strength of tile-reinforced composite armor. 1. Introduction The Composite Armored Vehicle (CAV), shown in figure 1, is an Advanced Technology Demonstrator designed and manufactured by United Defense, L.P. (UDLP), of San Jose, CA. The vehicle was designed to demonstrate a reduction of 33% of the combined weight of the armor and the structure compared to the weight of an all-metallic baseline vehicle with equivalent protection. The upper hull of the vehicle consists of a laminate of ceramic tiles sandwiched between a thick glass- epoxy inner hull and a thinner outer hull, as shown in figure 2. To isolate the tiles from the inner hull and to improve dam- age tolerance, a rubber layer is built into the lami