Comparative ballistic performance of 3D orthogonal and angle interlock woven fabrics with different fiber bundle count and interlacing layer number

Three-dimensional (3D) woven fabrics are widely used in personal protection, vehicle armour and other impact resistance applications due to their superior energy absorption capability and damage tolerance against delamination. The expanding application of 3D woven fabrics in impact engineering necessitates further investigation into mechanical response. The ballistic responses - specifically damage modes, ballistic limits, and specific energy absorption - of 3D orthogonal and angle interlock woven fabrics were experimentally investigated, with a focus on the influence of areal density. Fabric areal density was systematically modified by modulating the fiber bundle count and the interlacing layer number. A primary-yarn-oriented meso‑macro hybrid-scale ballistic impact numerical model was established and verified for large-sized 3D woven fabrics with respect to ballistic limit and impact process. The numerical analysis focused on detailing the penetration characteristics, stress wave propagation, component yarn deformation and energy distribution within the 3D orthogonal and angle interlock woven fabrics under ballistic impact. The results indicated that reducing the yarn's fiber bundles count and increasing the layer count could improve the ballistic limit of 3D woven fabrics. However, reducing the fiber bundle count proved to be a more effective strategy for enhancing the specific energy absorption capacity. The Mises stress propagation was hindered in the binder yarns due to the buckling. The gradual straightening of binder yarns caused the warp length of the fabric bulge to exceed the weft length. The projectile's kinetic energy was shown to transform into the fabric's kinetic energy, internal energy and the frictional dissipation energy throughout the impact duration.