OBJECTIVE:
The aim of this project is develop light structural hybrid composites for armouring smaller civil vehicles to transport valuables. Armour composites must provide the suitable protection level and must also be lighter and economical

BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT:
Terrorism is a subject of growing global concern. It is necessary to develop technologies and knowledge to ensure the security of citizens and valuables from several kinds of threats. Many companies and research institutes are motivated for developing armoured materials with better performance but the most of research is focused to the military industry in detriment of civil applications.
For terrestrial military application, armoured materials must fulfil protection requirements but the weight and price are not so essential. However, civil applications are more restricted to the cost and weight of the materials with the need of the same level of protection.
In the field of the private security, specifically in valuables transport, there are some challenges not solved until now. In general there are not much different kind of armoured vehicles for the transport of cash and valuable. Usually these vehicles are too much big and heavy, so, they have a lot of problems to gain access to difficult zones inside the city. This situation implies that many times, the guards must go on foot to their destination, putting their personal safety at risk.
Therefore, it has been detected a necessity in this sector for manufacturing a lighter and smaller armoured vehicle for gaining access to any place in any city giving a high level of protection with a reasonable cost to diminish the risk for the guards.
In armoured vehicles additional weight results in numerous engine and transmission failures as well as problems with vehicle suspension and brakes. Moreover reduces fuel efficiency and makes it impossible to carry additional personnel and valuables objects and cash.
Ballistic steel armour plates, while relatively inexpensive, add thousands of kgs to a vehicle. Ceramics are stiff, very hard and stronger in compression than in tension so they are suitable for armour application but single ceramics provide a limited amount of protection. Materials based in polymers such as fibres or composite laminates have a high strength to weight ratio, tensile modulus or energy absorption but are not stronger enough for the highest levels of protection.
Modern hybrid composite structures for ballistic protection combines the properties of the ceramics, very strong and lighter than metals and fiber-reinforced composites, as a backing plate. These composites could be designed for providing optimal protection from specific threats.

EXPECTED RESULTS, LEAD USERS AND EXPLOITATION AND DISSEMINATION PLAN:
Light structural hybrid composites could provide the same high level of protection than other heavier materials. Lighter materials provide optimum protection without scarifying mobility. It will allow designers and manufacturers to balance the requirements for better performing vehicles, increasing payloads. High-Modulus Polyethylene (HMPE) panels hybridized with ceramic blocks can reduce the areal density by as much as 75%. This type of solution gives more choice and flexibility to customers to find the protection solution with the right balance of performance, weight and cost for their needs. The lead users will be private security companies, automotive companies, ceramic, polymer and composite manufacturers. The benefits for the private security companies derived from having a lighter and smaller vehicle with the same level of protection that could access to any place inside a city. Automotive companies are also beneficed because of this kind of materials can be applied to armour vehicles for VIP people. Ceramic and polymer manufacturers could be exploit the results of making high performance materials for the defence sector. It is necessary to stimulate the cooperation of providers and users for civil security solutions not only for military purposes at the same time that competitiveness of the European security industry is improved

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