The Mechanical Metallurgy of Armour Steels

Abstract

Abstract : Armour steels have historically delivered optimised ballistic performance against a range of battlefield threats and continue to be highly competitive armour materials. The relationship between armour steel mechanical properties, specifically their mechanical metallurgy, and ballistic performance is explained, where such performance is primarily determined by material strength, hardness and high strain rate behaviour. Other important topics such as toughness; the adiabatic shear phenomenon; structural cracking; and dual hardness and electroslag remelted armour steels are also discussed along with armour steel specifications and standards.