Modeling the Nonlinear Behavior of UHMWPE Laminates Using Optimized Ply-Level Properties with Stepwise Fiber-Angle Rotations

Abstract

Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) composites are primarily designed for ballistic protection applications. The majority of UHMWPE composites combine a high specific-strength reinforcement with a compliant thermoplastic resin that generally results in a material with extreme anisotropy, large shear strain to failure, and high ballistic efficiency. This combination of properties makes it challenging to model UHMWPE composites analytically as they break some of the assumptions used in 3-D laminated media analysis. This report describes an iterative optimization methodology to determine the nonlinear ply-level response of UHMWPE composites. Several laminate configurations of two UHMWPE composite systems (Honeywell SpectraShield II SR-3136 and DuPont Tensylon HSBD 30A) are processed and tested under uniaxial tension for multiple loading angles. It is shown that accounting for strain-induced fiber-angle rotations is required to analytically model the laminates and determine the nonlinear ply-level response of both materials.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 2021
Accession Number
AD1146310

Entities

People

  • Jason Cain
  • Jeffrey M Staniszewski
  • Travis A. Bogetti

Organizations

  • United States Army

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Biocomposites
  • Composite Materials
  • Fiber Reinforced Polymers
  • Fibers
  • Laminates
  • Materials
  • Materials Laboratories
  • Materials Processing
  • Materials Testing
  • Military Research
  • Molecular Weight
  • Polyethylenes
  • Polymer Matrix Composites
  • Reinforced Plastics
  • Thermoplastic Composites
  • Three Dimensional

Fields of Study

  • Materials science

Readers

  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Mechanical Engineering/Mechanics of Materials.
  • Reinforced Composite Materials