Combat Vehicle Weight Reduction by Materials Substitution

Vehicle weight reduction is an effective strategy for reducing fuel consumption in civilian vehicles. For combat vehicles, it presents not only an important opportunity to reduce fuel use and associated logistics, but also important advantages in transport and mobility on the battlefield. Although there have been numerous efforts in the past to reduce the overall weight of combat vehicles, combat vehicle weight has continued to increase over time due to new threats and missions. On December 8 and 9, 2014, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine held a workshop to explore opportunities in lightweight materials for armored vehicles. This was the ninth workshop in an ongoing series for the U.S. military on materials and manufacturing issues. The workshop discussed future advances in weight reduction by materials substitution for vehicles, including such topics as armor, structure, automotive parts, and armaments. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop. Table of Contents Front Matter Introduction Plenary Session: Combat Vehicle Weight Reduction - The U.S. Army Research Challenge Topic 1: Armor Topic 2: Structure and Automotive Issues Panel Session: Implications for Armor/Structure and Automotive Issues Topic 3: System Effects and Testing Concluding Remarks Appendixes Appendix A: Statement of Task Appendix B: Workshop Participants Appendix C: Workshop Agenda Appendix D: Acronyms