Electromagnetically Sensitive Ballistic Fabric

alejandros Research by:

Alejandro Queiruga
High strength textiles are a fundamental component of armors in multiple applications, where they are coupled with metal and ceramic plates and various other systems. In this research, the effect of applying electromagnetic fields to a ballistic fabric undergoing impact is explored, wherein an external magnetic field induces deformation in an electrified sheet to influence the behavior of the projectile. The interaction between the applied electromagnetic fields and the resulting range of forces that can be applied onto the moving projectile is modeled by simplified analytical relations to inform the design space. A computational model used to simulate the dynamic system of the projectile and a layered ballistic fabric with coupled electromagnetic, mechanical, and contact physics. A single sheet of the ballistic fabric is modeled as a lattice of lumped masses interconnected by yarn segments. The electromagnetic properties of the fabric are modeled by solving an electrical network model on the lattice. A rigid-body projectile model is coupled to the fabric model that can handle arbitrary surface geometries. The interaction between layers of fabric sheets is incorporated through a nodally based contact model. The effect of altering the geometry of the projectile as well as the number of sheets used in the armor is explored through the model. Watch the video…