The Impact Failure and Energy Dissipation Mechanism of Polyethylene Laminates

Abstract

The damage mechanism and energy dissipation of the Polyethylene (PE) laminates in impacting was investigated. It was found that the dissipated energy of the impacting sphere bullet by the 1-mm-thick PE plate firstly increased with the impacting velocity increasing from 50 to about 300 m/s, and then decreased with the impacting velocity increasing up to 600 m/s. According to the measured deformation and damage degree, a numerical simulation of the dissipated energy was made and obvious offset was found with the experimental results. The quasi-static properties of the PE fibers, decreasing with increase in tensile velocity, may be the main reason for the offset.

Keywords

polyethylene / ballistic impact / energy dissipation / strain rate

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