Assessment of impact velocity effects on damage in armor materials through experimental and FEM analysis

In this study, the deformation behavior of armor (plate) systems composed of high-strength ballistic steels MARS 190 and MARS 240 arranged in various thicknesses and combinations was investigated under different projectile impact velocities and angles using both experimental methods and the finite element method (FEM). In the experimental stage, four different plate configurations were prepared: single steel plate, double steel plates, steel–rubber–steel, and steel–air gap–steel combinations. These configurations were subjected to ballistic impacts at varying velocities. For each configuration, the level of deformation, energy absorption capacity, and structural integrity were analyzed. The same test scenarios were modeled numerically using FEM, and the simulation results were validated through comparison with the experimental findings. Upon validating the analysis model, the number of composite plate models was increased. The results highlight the influence of impact velocity and plate composition on deformation behavior, revealing that multilayered and gapped structures effectively optimize energy distribution. The performance of different combinations of MARS 190 and MARS 240 materials was comparatively evaluated, and recommendations for effective armor design were provided. This study aims to contribute to engineering applications concerning the design of ballistic protection systems and material selection.