Armor structures

An armor structure, comprising:

• first and second layers individually comprising a plurality of i-beams, individual i-beams comprising a pair of longitudinal flanges interconnected by a longitudinal crosspiece and defining opposing longitudinal channels between the pair of flanges, the flanges having laterally outermost faces, the plurality of i-beams within individual of the first and second layers running parallel relative to one another with the laterally outermost faces of the flanges of adjacent i-beams facing and contacting one another, one of the longitudinal channels in each of the first and second layers facing one of the longitudinal channels in the other of the first and second layers;
• the i-beam channels of the first layer running parallel with the i-beam channels of the second layer, the flanges of the i-beams of the first and second layers overlapping with the crosspieces of the other of the first and second layers and portions of said flanges being received within the facing channels of the i-beams of the other of the first and second layers and contacting the cross pieces of the other of the first and second layers;
• the armor structure being configured to have a primary attack side, volcanic glass-comprising material being received in the non-facing channels of the i-beams of the first and second layers which faces the primary attack side of the first and second layer closest to the primary attack side;
• and
• a layer comprising a plurality of elongated hollow tubes oriented parallel one another, the first and second layers being received closer to the primary attack side than is the layer comprising the plurality of elongated hollow tubes.

An armor structure, comprising:

• first and second layers individually comprising a plurality of metal i-beams, individual i-beams comprising a pair of longitudinal flanges interconnected by a longitudinal crosspiece and defining opposing longitudinal channels between the pair of flanges, the flanges having laterally outermost faces, the plurality of i-beams within individual of the first and second layers running parallel relative to one another with the laterally outermost faces of the flanges of adjacent i-beams facing and contacting one another, one of the longitudinal channels in each of the first and second layers facing one of the longitudinal channels in the other of the first and second layers;
• the i-beam channels of the first layer running parallel with the i-beam channels of the second layer, the flanges of the i-beams of the first and second layers overlapping with the crosspieces of the other of the first and second layers and portions of said flanges being received within the facing channels of the i-beams of the other of the first and second layers and contacting the cross pieces of the other of the first and second layers, a crosspiece lateral midpoint between the flanges of individual i-beams, the overlapping of the flanges of the i-beams of the first and second layers being centered within 10% of said midpoint as a function of crosspiece width between the flanges of individual i-beams;
• the armor structure being configured to have a primary attack side, volcanic glass-comprising material being received in the non-facing channels of the i-beams of the first and second layers which faces the primary attack side of the first and second layer closest to the primary attack side;
• an obscurant-generating layer received closer to the primary attack side than are the first and second layers, the obscurant-generating layer configured to generate an obscurant upon sufficient degree of heat to the armor structure;
• a layer comprising a plurality of elongated hollow metal tubes oriented parallel one another, the first and second layers being received closer to the primary attack side than is the layer comprising the plurality of elongated hollow tubes;
• and
• at least two metal layers received farther from the primary attack side than is the layer comprising the plurality of elongated hollow metal tubes, one of the two metal comprising a metal that is softer than metal of each of the metal i-beams, the elongated hollow metal tubes, and another of the two metal layers.