Advances in Ballistic Protection: A Review of Ramor Steels and Hybrid Composite Laminates.

Title

Advances in Ballistic Protection: A Review of Ramor Steels and Hybrid Composite Laminates.

Author

1. Muddassir Butt, Other, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Pakistan

Abstract

Ballistic protection materials play a decisive role in modern defense systems, armored vehicles, and personal protection equipment, where the dual requirement of high impact resistance and reduced structural weight presents a persistent engineering challenge. This review presents a comprehensive and critical assessment of high-hardness armor steels, with particular emphasis on Ramor steel grades, alongside hybrid composite laminate systems used for ballistic protection. Peer-reviewed experimental investigations, standardized ballistic testing methodologies, and validated numerical simulations reported in the literature are systematically reviewed and compared. Special focus is placed on material behavior under high strain-rate loading, dominant failure mechanisms, and finite element modeling approaches implemented using ABAQUS/Explicit, including Johnson–Cook constitutive and damage models for steels and progressive damage formulations for composites. The review highlights the comparative performance, advantages, and limitations of monolithic steel, composite, and hybrid armor systems. Finally, current research gaps and future directions are identified to guide the development of lightweight, high-performance ballistic protection materials.

Keywords

Conclusion

This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of published research on Ramor steels and hybrid composite laminates for ballistic protection. The findings indicate that hybrid armor systems offer the most promising pathway toward achieving lightweight, high-performance ballistic protection. Continued integration of experimental testing and validated numerical modeling is essential for advancing armor material design and application.

Author Contrubution

The author solely conceived, researched, wrote, and revised the manuscript.

Funding

This research received no external funding.

Conflict of Interest

The author declares no conflict of interest.

Data Sharing Statement

No new data were created or analyzed in this study. Data sharing is not applicable to this article.

Software And Tools Use

“Microsoft Word and Grammarly were used for drafting and language refinement.” “AI-assisted tools (e.g., ChatGPT) were used for language polishing and idea organization, with all intellectual contributions and conclusions being my own.”

Acknowledgements

The author affirms that this review was independently conceived and completed. Nevertheless, sincere appreciation is extended to the Department of Metallurgical Engineering, NED University of Engineering & Technology, for providing an academic environment and resources that fostered the completion of this work.