High speed impact performance of basalt fiber reinforced vinylester composites at room and low temperatures

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a wide research project aiming to determine the performance of plain basalt and hybrid glass/basalt and carbon/basalt reinforced vinylester matrix composites under high-speed impact. Experimental tests are carried out by shooting steel balls in the range of 200–800 m/s in a compressed-gas gun. Results are depicted as curves of residual velocity vs. impact velocity from which the ballistic limit (V50) is derived for all material configurations and different environmental conditions including temperature and water saturation. Experimental results are used to validate a new analytical model previously developed by the authors to model the projectile impact on a plate. A good agreement is observed between experimental and analytical predicted results.