Experimental and Numerical Analysis of High Velocity Impact on 2-Layer Kevlar/Elastomer Composite

In this study, the energy absorption capacity of kevlar/elastomer composites under highspeed impact loading has been investigated experimentally and numerically. The compliance of the mechanical behavior of elastomeric composites with the theory of hyperelasticity complicates the analytical study. Therefore, numerical simulation due to the different and complex mechanisms of failure has gained large share in the design of composite structures. In the present study, the most advanced method of finite element modeling of composites i.e., Abaqus / Explicit has been used to determine their behavior during impact. For this purpose, planer shell elements were used to model the composite layers, and formable material model and the vumat were used to determine the behavior of the elastomeric composite failure model based on a damage criterion such as von mises failure criterion. Due to the lack aforementioned criteria in the commercial versions of the software and the importance of considering damages in numerical simulation for these composites, the criterion was written in Fortran software environment, and the analysis of the penetration phenomenon was added to the software capability in composite structure. In order to validate this model, an experimental test was performed on the kevlar/elastomer composite by a Gas gun device. Also, the study of deformation, output projectile velocity, and absorpted energy have been reported. The simulation results show a very good agreement with the experimental results.