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The energy absorbed in ballistic fabrics is modeled by assuming yarn pull-out, including yarn uncrimping and translation, as the primary energy absorption mechanism. Using a semi-empirical model of yarn pull-out based on laboratory tests, predictions of fabric ballistic performance are compared to ballistic test results. The study demonstrates that quasi-static pull-out results can be correlated quantitatively with yarn pull-out during ballistic impact.

Yarn pull-out can be an important energy absorption mechanism during the ballistic impact of woven Kevlar® fabric. This study reports the effects of fabric length, number of yarns pulled, arrangement of yarns, and transverse tension on the force-displacement curves for yam pull-out tests on Kevlar® KM-2 fabric under laboratory conditions. A semi-empirical model is presented for predicting the yam pull-out force and energy as a function of pull-out distance, including both yarn uncrimping and subsequent yam translation. This model is found to replicate the experimental data with a high degree of accuracy, and should prove useful for understanding ballistic experiments and improving computational modeling of fabrics.

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