Experimental and numerical study on the ballistic performance of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene laminate

Abstract

Ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber orthogonally laid laminate is widely used in ballistic protection due to its excellent properties. Research on its response under bullet impact is meaningful for understanding the antiballistic mechanism and designing personal protection. In this article, three-dimensional digital image correlation measurement and analysis method is applied to study the response of UHMWPE orthogonally laid laminates under the impact of pistol bullets. A corresponding smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH)-finite element method coupled numerical model is established to study the impact phenomenon. The bullet model is developed using the SPH method. The laminate is developed with multiple equivalent sublaminate finite element models. The experimental results show the damage mode and