3-D Orthogonal Woven Soft Body Armor

Abstract

We present highlights of the development of 3-D orthogonal woven aramid soft body armor. Fabric construction and test results are presented for armors of 0.8-1.1 lb/ft2 areal weight tested against 9mm FMJ bullets. The influence of several construction parameters are identified and the penetration process is hypothesized. We also discuss some of the practical issues associated with the large-scale use of 3-D orthogonal fabrics in soft armor. We conclude with a brief contrast between soft and hard fiber-reinforced armor design.