Experimental and Numerical Analysis of Bulletproof Armor made from Polymer Composite Materials

This work focuses on the preparation of polymer matrix composite specimens by (Hand Lay-Up) method to make bulletproof armor from the unsaturated polyester resin (UP) as a matrix reinforced by Kevlar fibers at different volume fractions with and without (3%) of Al2O3 powder. The tensile test was performed for these composite specimens which include: (modulus of elasticity, tensile strength and elongation percentage), in addition of ballistic test were studied. The results of this work show that the values of tensile test increase with increasing the volume fraction of fibers. And the values of tensile test of a composite reinforced by kevlar fibers and addition (3%) of Al2O3 powder was less than those composite without addition of Al2O3 powder. The numerical method based on FEM was used to analysis of the bullet proof armor ballistic test of the composite specimens by finding the values of stresses, strains and deformations. The numerical results that obtained from the program (ANSYS 14.5) represent the maximum value of stress happened to the composite specimens when reinforced by eight layers of the kevlar, and vice versa to the deformations and strain also the numerical results shown a good agreement with results that were obtained experimentally. Results of ballistic test of composite specimens show the volume fraction of fibers has an effect on the deformations of the front face and back face of these composite specimens. And the values of the ballistic test for the composite reinforced by kevlar at eight layers give the best values from other each of composite specimens