Impact dynamics simulation for multilayer fabrics

High‐strength fabrics are employed in a wide range of ballistic protection and blast mitigation applications. They are normally used in a multilayer configuration. General numerical models of impact, perforation, and fragmentation processes in multilayer fabrics must account for complex contact–impact dynamics and include general thermomechanical coupling. A hybrid particle‐element formulation has been developed to simulate impact and perforation in plain weave fabrics. Simulation results show good agreement with experiment, for fragment simulating projectile impacts on both aramid and ultra high molecular weight polyethelene soft armor materials. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.