BALLISTIC EVALUATION OF HIGH PERFORMANCE FIBRE REINFORCED CONCRETE AGAINST SMALL ARMS PROJECTILE

Abstract

The present study involves the study of ballistic behaviour of HPFRC (1-ugh Performance Fibre Reinforced Concrete) against the bullet projectile of INSAS (Indian Small Arms System) Rifle and LMG (Light Machine Gun). These weapons are used to fire 5.56mm and 7.62mm calibre projectile. Main focus of the study was to understand the ballistic behaviour of HPFRC, efforts were also made to find the ballistic limit of both the weapons in terms of the thickness of the HPFRC specimen. Ballistic tests were conducted on the specimen of NSC (Normal Strength Concrete), RCC (Reinforced Cement concrete) and HPFRC at the firing range of Bengal Engineer Group & Centre, Roorkee. To cast these specimen, molds were fabricated in the workshop of BEG & Centre, Roorkee, they were fabricated in such a manner that specimen of varying thicknesses could be casted in the same mould. The specimen were casted in concrete laboratory of Structural Engineering Department of lIT Roorkee, cured for 28 days and then taken to BEG& C, Roorkee firing range. Specimen tested were square plates of side 450mm having varying thicknesses of 30mm, 40mm, 50mm, 60mm and 70mm. Fibre content was also varied as 0.5%, 1.0% and 1.5% by volume. Parameters observed were the diameter of the front crater, diameter of the rear crater, diameter of the hole of perforation and the mass loss. A high speed camera was used to measure the bullet velocity and capture the failure pattern.