Analytical and Numerical Investigation on the Penetration Resistance of PUE/Honeycomb Aluminum Composite Structures

In this study, the penetration resistance of a polyurethane elastomer (PUE)/honeycomb aluminum composite structure was investigated. A finite element analysis model was constructed to predict the residual velocity of the projectile after penetrating the PUE/honeycomb aluminum composite structure, and the accuracy of the model was verified through experiments. Both the residual velocity of the projectile and the failure appearance of the target plate were accurately predicted by the model. In addition, the Cowper–Symonds model was used to describe the material properties of the PUE layer, effectively simulating the damage appearance of the PUE layer after penetration. Subsequently, based on the validated model, three different configurations of the PUE/honeycomb aluminum composite structure were designed on the basis of the original honeycomb aluminum composite structure with a polyurethane elastomer coating, maintaining constant mass of the composite structure, and the ballistic performance was predicted using the finite element model. The anti-penetration performance of the PUE/honeycomb aluminum composite structure was analyzed by examining the velocity changes of the projectile, the energy changes of each component, and the crushing of the honeycomb core layer. Finally, the influence of different projectile shapes on the ultimate ballistic performance of the structure was studied, and the reasons for the influence of warhead shape on the appearance of target plate failure were analyzed.