Influences of weaving architectures on the impact resistance of multi-layer fabrics

• Woven architectures influence noticeably the ballistic resistance of soft fabric.
• Mesoscale numerical models for 4 woven textile are developed and validated.
• Frictions between yarns & projectile relate strongly to impact resistance.
• Firmness of fabrics is quantified with image analysis and analytical explanation.

Fabrics constructed from different weaving architectures such as plain, basket, twill and satin provide varying flexibility and durability when applied on surfaces of complex structures for protective applications. They also affect the manufacturing processes and mechanical properties of both fabrics and composite structures in various applications such as soft armours, helmets, aircraft engine cowlings or automobile monocoques. In this work, the influences of weaving architectures on the ballistic resistance and energy absorption of both single and multi-layer Twaron® fabrics are investigated. A mesoscale yarn model is constructed, validated experimentally, and analytical. Finite element fabric models of different fabric structures are then developed and their firmness is quantified using interlacing factors. Numerical models for plain weave are validated against experimental results from single-ply ballistic tests. The evolutions of kinetic, strain, and friction energy components, normalised with areal mass, are presented to demonstrate the better ballistic protection of the plain weave compared with other weaving architectures. Further investigations on multi-ply systems illustrate the energy absorption capacities for different types of woven fabrics and the associated ballistic resistances. The research results indicate that weaving architectures and fabric firmness are less influential on the overall ballistic protection of multi-ply systems compared to the single-ply cases.

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