Battlefield Armor Repair Kits.
Abstract
More than 40 adhesives have been studied in order to develop battlefield armor repair kits for the expedient repair of hull and turret damage. Laboratory lap shear strength and impact tests were used to screen candidates for ballistic and explosive shock tests. Four kits were subjected to field testing by a tank crew from Fort Knox. A commercially available hole filler successfully withstood hits of a .50 caliber AP projectile and a 1/4 lb pentolite explosive charge two inches rom the periphery of the damage and provided a seal against air or moisture. When the hole was covered by armor plate mounted on three stud bolts, it was protected against a direct hit by a .50 caliber AP projectile or a 1/4 lb pentolite charge. The stud-welded patch was applied by an Ordnance Center and School (OC and S) metal worker-machinist (SFC) in only eleven minutes. A commercially available fiberglass soaked with methacrylate plus armor steel patch is useful for only one direct hit on a curved M60 surface. It survived multiple .50 calber AP hits in the laboratory when it was applied to a flat surface. Both this adhesive and the hole filler mentioned above must have their useful application temperatures lowered. They and the other adhesives studied are formulated for room temperature application, although they are useable to -40 F once they are cured at a temperature close to ambient. The extension of the useful curing temperature to sub-freezing conditions is an important objective for the next phase of this study. Keywords: Adhesives; Methacrylates; Ballistics; Epoxy resins; Damage; Repair; Polyester resins.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1985
- Accession Number
- ADA164463
Entities
People
- Alan J. Goldman
- Dennis W. Gosselin