Influences of weaving architectures and impact locations on the ballistic resistance of UHMWPE fabric

This study is devoted to reveal the influence of weaving architectures and impact locations on the ballistic resistance of UHMWPE (ultrahigh high molecular weight polyethylene) fabrics. Firstly, a mesoscopic model of UHMWPE fabric is established and the accuracy of the numerical method is verified. Subsequently, the models with different weaving architectures are further established, and the impact resistance performances are evaluated. Finally, the influence factors on the fabric ballistic resistance is explored. It is proved that the ballistic resistance of UHMWPE fabric mainly dominated by the tensile strength of yarn under high-velocity impact. The plain fabric shows best anti-ballistic performance, while basket and woven fabric are slightly inferior. The damage pattern of fabrics with different weaving architectures changes greatly. In addition, this study proposes a residual impact velocity correction model for projectile based on the probability distribution of impact positions, which can better characterize the protective ability of fiber fabrics.