Confinement effects on compressive and ballistic performance of ceramics: a review

Abstract

ABSTRACT Ceramic materials have been extensively used as armour materials for nearly 50 years and continue to attract great interest in the field of defense technology. As confinement is crucial for ceramics to achieve enhanced performance, it has become indispensable in ceramic armour systems. This review aims to explore the effects of a wide variety of confinement on ceramic performance, so as to provide scientific insights for further exploration and development of ceramic materials and ceramic-based armour systems for both researchers and engineers. This work first characterises multiaxial compressive experiments of ceramics, explores confinement-induced brittle to ductile transition, and presents pressure-dependent micromechanical and phenomenological constitutive models. Subsequently, the change of fracture mode under compression and the reduction of damage extent under projectile impact are separately discussed. Enhancement in ballistic performance by confining and prestressing ceramics is also introduced, with corresponding physical mechanisms explored. Last but not least, insights into future opportunities and challenges are presented.