Interaction response of ballistic impact with different material in-filled projectiles against layered composite target

Ballistic impact involves the high-velocity interaction response of a projectile with a protective target, resulting in projectile deformation, target damage, and mass loss. The Finite Element Method (FEM) implemented in ANSYS/Autodyn was used to investigate the ballistic response of a Kevlar Fiber Reinforced Polymer (KFRP) and epoxy layered target subjected to a 5.45 × 18 mm Malokalibernyj Pistolentyj Tsentralnogo boya (MPTs) projectile at 350 m/s. Four projectile material infill configurations were considered namely full lead (Pb), copper-plated steel (Cu), copper-plated steel encapsulated lead (Cu + Pb), and copper-plated steel encapsulated lead with a hard-steel core (Cu + Pb + HS). All configurations perforated the target within 60 μs, indicating insufficient target resistance. Projectile deformation included erosion, shear-off, and mushrooming. The Cu projectile retained the greatest structural integrity, whereas Pb showed the highest mass and length reductions. Cu + Pb + HS produced pronounced front-face deformation and interlayer failure, while Cu generated maximum back-face displacement and projectile fragmentation. Epoxy layers exhibited greater plastic strain than KFRP layers, propagating through the thickness while remaining concentrated near the impact region. These results demonstrate the influence of projectile configuration on projectile deformation, target damage, and ballistic response