Patent ID: 8226873

Claim:
A method for designing a plural-layer composite armor system, the method comprising: selecting a reference armor system, said reference armor system comprising a reference ceramic-material-embedded elastomeric matrix material layer and a reference backing layer, said reference ceramic-material-embedded elastomeric matrix material layer including elastomeric matrix material and plural reference ceramic elements embedded in said elastomeric matrix material, each said reference ceramic element being composed of ceramic material characterized by a reference material density, said reference ceramic elements being arrayed along a reference geometric plane and being characterized by a reference areal density with respect to said reference geometric plane, said reference geometric plane corresponding to said reference ceramic-material-embedded elastomeric matrix material layer; modeling an analogue armor system, said analogue armor system being analogous to said reference armor system, said analogue armor system comprising an analogue ceramic-material-embedded elastomeric matrix material layer and an analogue backing layer, said analogue ceramic-material-embedded elastomeric matrix material layer including elastomeric matrix material and plural analogue ceramic elements embedded in said elastomeric matrix material, each said analogue ceramic element being composed of ceramic material characterized by an analogue material density that differs from said reference material density, said analogue ceramic elements being arrayed along an analogue geometric plane and being characterized by an analogue areal density with respect to said geometric plane, said analogue geometric plane corresponding to said analogue ceramic-material-embedded elastomeric matrix material layer, said modeling including determining and recording at least one variation in the configuration of said analogue ceramic elements versus the configuration of said reference ceramic elements, wherein said variation is associated with equality of said analogue areal density and said reference areal density.