Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Efficiency of Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene Composite Against Fragment Impact

  • Published:
Experimental Mechanics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper presents an experimental investigation into the ballistic resistance of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE) composite, and compares its performance against a range of common metallic and composite armour materials. An extensive experimental program was conducted to determine the ballistic limit velocity (V50) of UHMW-PE composite against 12.7 and 20 mm fragment simulating projectiles (FSPs) for a wide range of thicknesses. For protection against these projectiles, UHMW-PE composite was found to be consistently more mass efficient than rolled homogeneous armour steel (RHA), high hardness armour steel (HHA), aluminium alloy 5059-H131, and polymer composites reinforced with aramid, glass or carbon fibres. In terms of armour space claim, UHMW-PE composite was found to be less efficient than both steel types and glass fibre-reinforced plastic, though it was comparable to aramid fibre-reinforced plastic, and was more efficient than aluminium 5059-H131 and carbon fibre-reinforced plastic. Scaling effects were observed that showed metals were more effective against smaller projectiles in terms of armour mass required to stop a given projectile kinetic energy. These effects were not observed to the same extent for UHMW-PE composite, giving rise to a higher UHMW-PE mass efficiency against larger projectiles.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Cunniff PM (1999) Dimensionless parameters for optimization of textile based body armor systems. In: Reinecke W (ed) 18th international symposium and ballistics. Technomic Publishing Co, San Antonio, pp 1303–1310

    Google Scholar 

  2. Lee BL, Song JW, Ward JE (1994) Failure of spectra polyethylene fiber-reinforced composites under ballistic impact loading. J Compos Mater 28:1202–1226. doi:10.1177/002199839402801302

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Iremonger M (1999) Polyethylene composites for protection against high velocity small arms bullets. 18th international symposium on ballistics. Technomic Publishing Co, San Antonio, pp 946–953

    Google Scholar 

  4. Morye S, Hine P, Duckett R, Carr D, Ward I (1999) A comparison of the properties of hot compacted gel-spun polyethylene fibre composites with conventional gel-spun polyethylene fibre composites. Compos Part A 30:649–660. doi:10.1016/S1359-835X(98)00175-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Lässig T, Nguyen L, May M, Riedel W, Heisserer U, Van der Werff H, Hiermaier S (2015) A non-linear orthotropic hydrocode model for ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene in impact simulations. Int J Impact Eng 75:110–122. doi:10.1016/j.ijimpeng.2014.07.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Greenhalgh ES, Bloodworth VM, Iannucci L, Pope D (2013) Fractographic observations on Dyneema® composites under ballistic impact. Compos A: Appl Sci Manuf 44:51–62. doi:10.1016/j.compositesa.2012.08.012

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Nguyen LH, Ryan S, Cimpoeru SJ, Mouritz AP, Orifici AC (2015) The effect of target thickness on the ballistic performance of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene composite. Int J Impact Eng 75:174–183. doi:10.1016/j.ijimpeng.2014.07.008

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Phoenix SL, Porwal PK (2003) A new membrane model for the ballistic impact response and V50 performance of multi-ply fibrous systems. Int J Solids Struct 40:6723–6765. doi:10.1016/S0020-7683(03)00329-9

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  9. Hohler V, Stilp AJ, Weber K (1995) Hypervelocity penetration of tungsten sinter-alloy rods into aluminum. Int J Impact Eng 17:409–418. doi:10.1016/0734-743X(95)99866-P

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Madhu V, Ramanjaneyulu K, Balakrishna Bhat T, Gupta NK (2006) An experimental study of penetration resistance of ceramic armour subjected to projectile impact. Int J Impact Eng 32:337–350. doi:10.1016/j.ijimpeng.2005.03.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Savio SG, Ramanjaneyulu K, Madhu V, Bhat TB (2011) An experimental study on ballistic performance of boron carbide tiles. Int J Impact Eng 38:535–541. doi:10.1016/j.ijimpeng.2011.01.006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Department of Defense (2006) Projectile, calibre .22, .30, .50, and 20 mm fragment simulating. MIL-DTL-46593B

  13. Department of Defense (1997) V50 Ballistic test for armor. MIL-STD-662F

  14. Department of Defense (2008) Armor plates, steel, wrought, high-hardness. MIL-DTL-46100E

  15. Department of Defense (2013) Armour plate, steel, wrought, homogenous. MIL-A-12560K

  16. Gooch WA, Showalter D, Burkins M, Thorn V, Cimpoeru SJ, Barnett R (2007) In: Galvez F, Sanchez-Galvez V (eds) Ballistic testing of Australian bisalloy steel for armor applications. 23rd International Symposium on Ballistics, Tarragona, pp 1181–1188

    Google Scholar 

  17. Jones TL, Delorme RD, Burkins MS, Gooch WA (2007) In: Galvez F, Sanchez-Galvez V (eds) Ballistic performance of magnesium alloy AZ31B. 23rd International Symposium on Ballistics, Tarragona, pp 989–995

    Google Scholar 

  18. Showalter DD, Placzankis BE, Burkins MS (2007) Ballistic performance testing of aluminum alloy 5059-H131 and 5059-H136 for armor applications. ARL–TR–4427

  19. Cunniff P (1992) An analysis of the system effects in woven fabrics under ballistic impact. Text Res J 62:495–509. doi:10.1177/004051759206200902

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Woodward RL (1978) The penetration of metal targets which fail by adiabatic shear plugging. Int J Mech Sci 20:599–607. doi:10.1016/0020-7403(78)90018-8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Dikshit SN, Kutumbarao VV, Sundararajan G (1995) The influence of plate hardness on the ballistic penetration of thick steel plates. Int J Impact Eng 16:293–320. doi:10.1016/0734-743X(94)00041-T

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Børvik T, Leinum JR, Solberg JK, Hopperstad OS, Langseth M (2001) Observations on shear plug formation in Weldox 460 E steel plates impacted by blunt-nosed projectiles. Int J Impact Eng 25:553–572. doi:10.1016/S0734-743X(00)00069-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Magness LS, Farrand TG (1990) In: Assistant Secretary of the Army (ed) Deformation behavior and its relationship to the penetration performance of high density KE penetrator materials. 17th Army Science Conference. Department of the Army, Durham, pp 465–479

    Google Scholar 

  24. Anderson CE, Mullin SA, Kuhlman CJ (1993) Computer simulation of strain-rate effects in replica scale model penetration experiments. Int J Impact Eng 13:35–52. doi:10.1016/0734-743X(93)90107-I

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Anderson CE, Mullin SA, Piekutowski AJ, Blaylock NW, Poormon KL (1996) Scale model experiments with ceramic laminate targets. Int J Impact Eng 18:1–22. doi:10.1016/0734-743X(95)00026-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Woodward RL, Cimpoeru SJ (1998) A study of the perforation of aluminium laminate targets. Int J Impact Eng 21:117–131. doi:10.1016/S0734-743X(97)00034-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Van Dingenen J (2001) Gel-spun high-performance polyethylene fibres. In: Hearle J (ed) High performance fibres. Woodhead Publishing, Cambridge, pp 62–92

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  28. Cunniff PM, Auerbach MA, Vetter E, Sikkema DJ (2002) High performance “M5” fiber for ballistics/structural composites. 23rd Army Science Conference

  29. Cheng M, Chen W, Weerasooriya T (2004) Experimental investigation of the transverse mechanical properties of a single Kevlar® KM2 fiber. Int J Solids Struct 41:6215–6232. doi:10.1016/j.ijsolstr.2004.05.016

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Woodward RL, Egglestone GT, Baxter BJ, Challis K (1994) Resistance to penetration and compression of fibre-reinforced composite materials. Compos Eng 4:329–341. doi:10.1016/0961-9526(94)90083-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Gellert E, Cimpoeru S, Woodward R (2000) A study of the effect of target thickness on the ballistic perforation of glass-fibre-reinforced plastic composites. Int J Impact Eng 24:445–456. doi:10.1016/S0734-743X(99)00175-X

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The work reported herein was funded by the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) under the Land Vehicle Survivability Science and Technology Capability (STC). The authors would also like to acknowledge the support of both RMIT University and the Defence Materials Technology Centre (DMTC) in providing a PhD scholarship to the lead author. The DMTC was established and is supported by the Australian Government’s Defence Future Capability Technology Centre (DFCTC) initiative.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, Australia

    L. H. Nguyen, A. P. Mouritz & A. C. Orifici

  2. Defence Science and Technology Organisation, 506 Lorimer St, Fishermans Bend, VIC, 3207, Australia

    S. Ryan & S. J. Cimpoeru

  3. Defence Materials Technology Centre, 24 Wakefield St, Hawthorn, VIC, 3122, Australia

    L. H. Nguyen

Authors
  1. L. H. Nguyen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S. Ryan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S. J. Cimpoeru
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. A. P. Mouritz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. A. C. Orifici
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to L. H. Nguyen.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Nguyen, L.H., Ryan, S., Cimpoeru, S.J. et al. The Efficiency of Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene Composite Against Fragment Impact. Exp Mech 56, 595–605 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11340-015-0051-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11340-015-0051-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation