MECHANICS OF COMPOSITE MATERIALS, vol.60, no.2, pp.243-258, 2024 (SCI-Expanded)
The damage stages of the ballistic impact effect on both thin and thick laminated composites were investigated.
Thin and thick laminated composite plates were produced with unsymmetrical cross-ply [0/90], [–45/+45],
and [30/60] layups consisting of 16 and 50 unidirectional layers, respectively. Ballistic tests of the composite
plates were carried out by means of a single-stage gas gun system at different velocities in the range from 447
to 861 m/s. The thin composite plates were more damaged than the thick plates at ballistic tests with the same
velocity. Relatively small strains were observed at low-velocity impact while the projectile rebounded in all
thick specimens. All thick plate specimens, except the plates with [–45/+45] layup, were perforated at high
velocity impacts. Tests showed an increase in the shear stress between layers with increasing projectile velocity