Impact response and energy absorption mechanisms of polypropylene woven fabrics with varying mechanical properties in flexible protection systems

The mechanical properties of yarns are crucial for the energy absorption capabilities of fabrics during low-velocity impact (LVI). However, due to the trouble for obtaining materials with a wide range of mechanical properties, few studies have investigated their effects on impact response by experiments. This paper presents yarns with diverse mechanical properties, achieved by controlling the draw ratio during the molding process, which are subsequently used to fabricate polypropylene woven fabrics (PPFs) for LVI experiments. Additionally, finite element (FE) analysis using the elastic-plastic model is integrated with the LVI experiments to investigate the dynamic impact response and energy absorption mechanisms of PPFs. The experimental and numerical results demonstrate that PPF-3.0, characterized by superior mechanical properties, exhibits exceptional impact resistance. Moreover, elastic and plastic strain energies are critical components of PPFs during the LVI process, accounting for 9–14% and 76–79%, respectively. Notably, PPF-3.0, due to its high elastic modulus, exhibits significant strain energy. This study reveals the evolution of impact damage, energy absorption mechanisms, and stress wave distribution in PPFs during the process, offering valuable insights for designing flexible protective fabrics.