Abstract: Due to its high modulus, high strength, and low density, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber (UHMWPE) fabric is widely applied in explosive fragment protection. Based on the results of ballistic tests performed on UHMWPE two-dimensional (2D) woven fabric, a numerical mesoscale model is initially developed using the Abaqus finite element analysis method. The fabric size and boundary fixing methods are considered in the mesoscale model. At the same time, ballistic tests are carried out as a foundation for numerical simulation. Since the smaller fabric size influences the ballistic performance of 2D woven fabric and the increase in fabric size leads to higher calculation costs, a meso-macro hybrid scale model is established. This modified model has a higher calculation efficiency and its numerical results are in good agreement with the experimental results. The ballistic performance of the fabric under the impact of projectiles with different head shapes of heads (flat, sharp, or hemispherical) is studied and compared with the experimental results by using the meso-macro hybrid scale model. The ballistic limit and the fabric failure are characterization parameters used to measure the ballistic performance. It is concluded that the 2D woven fabric has the best impact resistance against flat-nose projectile. Under low-velocity impacts below 100 m/s, the impact resistance against sharp-nose projectiles is better than that against hemisphere-nose ones. Under high-speed impacts above 100 m/s, the impact resistance against hemisphere-nose projectiles is better than that against sharp-nose projectiles.

Key words: ultra-highmolecularweightpolyethylene, two-dimensionalwovenfabric, ballisticlimit, boundaryeffect