On the Ballistic Impact of Textile Body Armor

Abstract

A mathematical model is developed and methods of analysis are formulated for determining the structural response of textile fabric flat panels subjected to ballistic impact by a dense projectile. A stepwise procedure in time is formulated which is suitable for either desk calculator use or for a digital computer in calculating strains, projectile position, forces, and decelerations as functions of time. Analytical results are compared with experimental data for impact of a .22 caliber fragment simulator impacting 1 ply and 12 ply nylon cloth as well as Kevlar (PRD)-49-IV cloth from 1–24 plies.