Hypervelocity impact simulation using membrane particle-elements

A series of three-dimensional simulations have been performed to evaluate the use of membrane particle-elements to model hypervelocity impact effects in fabrics. The simulations employed an improved hybrid particle-finite element method and material models recently developed for conventional Kevlar and for Kevlar treated with a shear thickening fluid. The simulation results were compared with experimental data from tests conducted by NASA Johnson Space Center. The results suggest that membrane particle-elements can provide a computationally efficient description of hypervelocity impact dynamics in flexible multi-layered structures.