Numerical investigation of the ballistic efficiency of multi-ply fabric armours during the early stages of impact

The early impact behaviour of single and multi-ply Kevlar® 129 fabric armour systems is investigated using an explicit finite element code, TEXIM, developed in-house. This numerical model is carefully validated using continuous temporal data obtained from an instrumented experimental setup. The model is then used to explore the loss in ballistic efficiency of woven fabric targets, as experienced early in the impact event, when either the number of layers in the panel or the yarn denier is increased.