A Numerical Study on the High-Velocity Ballistic Performance of TPMS Sandwich Structures
Abstract
Triply Periodic Minimal Surface (TPMS) structures have significant potential for lightweight ballistic armor. Unlike previous quasi-static or low-velocity studies, this research explicitly addresses the terminal ballistic regime and perforation morphology. It evaluates three Ti6Al4V TPMS sandwich cores (Diamond, Gyroid, Primitive) subjected to 7.62 mm Armor-Piercing (AP) projectiles at 830 m/s using Abaqus/Explicit. By coupling a tuned shell-based full-scale architecture approach with Johnson-Cook damage evolution, severe element-distortion instabilities were successfully eliminated. The Diamond topology exhibited the most efficient ballistic efficiency, achieving an optimal Specific Energy Absorption (SEA) of 118.27 J/g at a 10% relative density. This structural tuning yielded a 94.3% core mass reduction compared to monolithic RHA steel of equivalent dimensions while mitigating 95% of the initial kinetic energy. Furthermore, the tortuous curvature of the Diamond and Gyroid architectures forced a highly localized failure zone, preventing the catastrophic macroscopic fracture observed in the Primitive topology. These findings establish a robust framework for designing scalable, weight-optimized TPMS ballistic shields for next-generation combat vehicles and aerospace applications.