New Textile Composite Solutions for Armouring of Vehicles

Abstract

In today’s scenario, numerous studies have shown a great interest on 3D woven structures like 3D warp interlock fabric as a fibre reinforcement for composite material to provide a better impact than 2D laminated fabrics with unlinked structures in the thickness. The impact energy absorption capacity depends on different and independent parameters, including the shape and speed of the projectile, the type of fibrous structure (geometry), the type and nature of the threads (raw material, linear density, and twisting value), and the type of impregnation of the composite material. As part of our research work on hard impact protection solutions, the interest of textile composite structures, in particular those integrating 3D warp interlock fabrics, has been revealed. Based on the result, protection solutions with such fabric structure revealed larger dynamic deformation capacity for absorbing the impact energy as compared with not only a ceramic material facing a 12.7 mm ammunition (mass 43 g) at 610 m/s but also those solutions made with metallic materials facing a FSP (diameter 20 mm, mass 54 g) at 630 m/s and 1600 m/s. For each of these different threats, a specific type of composite material has to be used. These composite material solutions are mainly defined to respond to the appropriate mode of impact behaviour.