Effect of Fiber Alignments on the Strength of Bulletproof Armor Plates Produced from Fiberglass Fabrics
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Abstract
This research aims to experimentally investigate the impact of fiber orientation on the strength of bulletproof armor made from composite materials, using fiberglass fabrics as reinforcement encased in polyester resin. The fiber orientation of the woven fiberglass sheets was arranged in two configurations: aligned at 0 degrees and alternately arranged at 45 degrees. Tensile and impact tests revealed that armor with fibers arranged at 45 degrees exhibited lower tensile strength but higher impact resistance compared to armor with fibers aligned at 0 degrees. Additionally, the armor plates were tested against .357 Magnum bullets fired from a distance of 5 meters, following the NIJ (National Institute of Justice) Standard-0101.06 for Level II body armor. The Back Face Signature (BFS) was also measured to assess the impact force on the back of the armor upon bullet impact. The results showed that the armor made from 30 layers of woven fiberglass sheets, both aligned at 0 degrees and alternately arranged at 45 degrees, successfully stopped the bullets without penetration. The average deformation depth of the backing material behind the armor was 8 mm and 6.33 mm, respectively, which is within the standard limits.
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