ABSTRACT
Advanced textile and flexible composites always used for the containment of
high-speed fragmentation. The design of body armours, fragmentation curtains
and bomb blankets are end products. In this work, an experimental program is
conducted to test a new composite material (3D-weaveTM Kevlar-129/ LINE-X
xs-350), which is a two-component spray-in-place flexible 100% solids
Polyurea/Polyurethane system. Ballistic response of this new composite is
compared to that of (3D-weaveTM) Kevlar-129; the multi-layered targets of the
two materials are subjected to impact by small arm projectiles with velocity range
of 300-450 m/s.
Moreover, a finite element code based on Newtonian formulation is used to
predict the nodal acceleration, velocity and displacement. Forces acting on both
projectile and target are also predicted. A comparison between experimental
results and predictions of the code showed general good agreement in the case
of Kevlar targets. The agreement was not quite as good, but still acceptable, for
composite targets. The average energy absorbed per one layer of the new
composite and Kevlar targets is determined.
Predictions show that the composite targets are generally more efficient than the
Kevlar targets in defeating impacting projectiles.
Finally, post firing examination of Kevlar/line-x targets shows recoverable
behaviour and localized damage after the ballistic impact; this means small
trauma effect occurred when using this composite as body armour.