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Materials Today: Proceedings 21 (2020) 1366–1374 www.materialstoday.com/proceedings

ICRACM-2019

A review on various aspects of Kevlar composites used in

ballistic applications
Susmita Naika*, R. D. Dandagwhalb, Praveen Kumar Loharkarc
a,b,c
Department of Mechanical Engineering, SVKM’s NMIMS MPSTME, Shirpur Campus, Dhule-425405, India.
a
naiksushmita1996@gmail.com,

Abstract

Kevlar, an aramid fibre is used on a large scale in defense, aerospace, biomedical and automobile industries. An important field
of research related to it is the development and investigation of composites reinforced with Kevlar fibre for ballistic applications.
This article presents a review of state of the art in the arena of ballistic impact on Kevlar composites. Discussion on research
pertaining to Kevlar fibre reinforced composites has been carried out with a focus on structural features and characterization,
development, application in various engineering and allied sectors, failure mechanisms after ballistic impact and methods used in
analysis. The aim is to illustrate the status of research in this field, identify the challenges and potential areas for research. This
article would act as a functional piece of literature for further work in this discipline of research.
© 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of SIXTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON RECENT ADVANCES IN COMPOSITE
MATERIALS, ICRACM-2019.

Keywords: Analysis, Aramid, Ballistic, Failure, Kevlar, Structure

1. Introduction

In recent times, advancements in weapon and ammunition technology has posed a huge challenge in front of
material engineers and researchers for developing better quality armor material capable of withstanding tremendous
impact of such modern weaponries. Limitations of old-style armors that are heavy, bulky and possess high rigidness
has also been an area of concern. Many materials, especially composites have been developed to enhance the anti-
ballistic capacity and overcome the limitations of the earlier armors. The heterogeneous nature of composite material
due to its multiphase characteristics at macroscopic level gives an added advantage wherein they exhibit the best
qualities of their components along with some unique properties. A high strength to weight ratio, improved mobility,
environment resistance and high impact strength are the main reasons for using fiber based composite materials for
armor application. Body armors are basically designed to resist small arms projectile and this lead the researchers
think in the direction of fiber reinforced composite material. For higher impact threats, Multilayered Armor Systems
act as better option [1, 2] Impact response serves as the significant parameter to determine the functionality of
composite materials for high-strain rate applications. The most identifiable material in relevant literatures is Kevlar
which is being widely used in making of composite material for ballistic applications. The Kevlar composite acts as

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +91-9987968529. E-mail address: naiksushmita1996@gmail.com

2214-7853 © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Selection and peer-review under responsibility of SIXTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON RECENT ADVANCES IN COMPOSITE
MATERIALS, ICRACM-2019.
 S. Naik et al. / Materials Today: Proceedings 21 (2020) 1366–1374 1367

a shield which prevents initial damage from fragments travelling at a speed less than that of ballistic speed. An
understanding of behavior of Kevlar composite targets during and post impact is of critical importance in order to
design a suitable armor [3]. Hybridization of different fiber enhanced impact properties like inter-fiber friction, non-
linear viscoelasticity enables the structure to capture projectile effectively [4-6]. As compared to other synthetic
fibers, Kevlar has unique advantageous properties for deliberating it as a reinforcement in composite. [7-9].
In the following sections, a concise review of various attributes of Kevlar fiber, its hybrid composites, and
the behavior of the composite at various impacting conditions is reported.

2. Synthetic fiber-Kevlar

2.1. Structure

PPTA i.e. poly-p-paraphenylene terephthalamide is the chemical name for Kevlar fiber which is an organic
fiber from the family of aromatic polyamides (aramid) [10]. The dry jet wet spinning process was used for
producing Kevlar fibers for the first time by Du Pont de Nemours Company [11, 12]. This process is considered to
be a combination of both wet and dry spinning for converting the desired polymer into a fiber by processing the
dope of spinning solution. The structure of Kevlar fiber is found to have the skin-core form where skin and core are
constituted of different mechanical properties [13, 14]. Kevlar fiber has high strength to weight ratio, better impact
properties, thermal stability as well as wear and stab resistance. These enhanced features are the result of their
molecular structure which is being produced due to liquid crystal technology [15].
Also, the radial organization of structure might be a contributing factor for mode of failure and the
reduction in compressive strength [16]. Void percentage calculated by certain variation in density (1.32 to 1.51
g/cm^3) [17] is about 15% and is thus considered for perfect packing [18]. The modulus of elasticity of Kevlar-49 is
about twice that of Kevlar-29 [19]. For better understanding of the fabric behavior it is necessary to determine the
interaction between warp and fill yarns in two dimensional woven fabrics and thus model them into structural
elements [20]. Good intertwining property of Kevlar with glass fibers results in greater yield strength of these glass
fibers when subjected to the tensile test [21].

2.2. Mechanics behind Kevlar Composites

Mechanics of any physical thing pertains to its behavior when subjected to bodily forces, environmental
conditions as well as displacements. In any composite, the presence of matrix protects the fibers from various
environmental factors such as effect on the impact resistance due to high humid conditions [22] as well as
depreciation in mechanical properties as a result of ultraviolet radiation (photo-degradation) [23,24]. After applying
loading, the composite undergoes through mechanisms which are directly affected by certain aspects of its
component, mainly the nature and its microgeometry [25]. The rule of mixtures is used for determining the
mechanical properties of a hybrid composite which states that the properties of hybrid composite is given by the
weighted sum of the constituent properties according to the composition [26-29].
During the development of advanced composite materials, various problems arise due to the lack of
interactions between the reinforcement and the matrix, inadequate dispersion of the reinforcement, or improper
wetting of the particles by the matrix phase [30]. The composites can be even made of woven fibers in yarns are
placed at certain interlock angle. The angle interlock can be divided into two types while considering the three-
dimensional nature, and are through-thickness angle interlock and layer to layer angle interlock [31]. The elastic
modulus of the fibers evaluated by tensile tests in longitudinal direction was found to be four times higher than that
obtained when evaluated by nano-indentation [19]. While in tension, Kevlar is seven times stronger than steel when
air is considered as medium whereas when seawater is considered as medium, Kevlar has superior tensile properties
[32, 33].

3. Characterization of Kevlar fibers

Characterization is an important aspect in the analysis of material suitability in any application. Subsequent
sections discuss the mechanical and thermal characteristics of Kevlar fiber.
1368 S. Naik et al. / Materials Today: Proceedings 21 (2020) 1366–1374

3.1. Mechanical Characterization

The high tenacity fibre, Kevlar has been observed to have low radial strength [34]. Also, Kevlar composite
is less rich in axial compressive strength as compared to the compressive strengths of glass and carbon composites
[35-37]. The reduced strength of aramid composites has been limited due to apparent fiber compressive yield
strength when the matrices used are reasonably stiff, such as epoxies.
For enhancing the flexural properties of Kevlar reinforced composites, an asymmetric hybridization is
needed [38]. The value of the strength of matrix largely affects the value of the tensile strength of the composites
[39]. It has been inferred that the factors used for determining the mechanical strength of fiber reinforced
composites are , i) Modulus and the strength of reinforcing agent, ii) the chemical stability and the strength
associated with the resin used, iii) the ability and the effectiveness with which the polymer resin and the
reinforcement transfers the load stress across the interface [40].An important characteristics of a composite to be
analyzed is anisotropy index which is the ratio of its property in longitudinal direction to that in the transverse
direction [41]. Also, strain rate and the temperature affects the material properties [42].
In order to measure the performance of fiber under transverse impact, there is a need to understand various
effects of loading on certain behavior, i.e. longitudinal loading on transverse behavior, transverse loading on
longitudinal behavior along with biaxial loading with multiaxial behavior [43]. The Kevlar fibers show transverse
compressive behavior which is highly non-linear and quite pseudo elastic [44]. The uniaxial tensile tests of Kevlar
49 fibers imply that the modulus of elasticity in the warp direction is equal to that of the fill direction and hence the
apparent Poisson’s ratio in both directions are identical [45]. The properties of the composite such as strength and
elongation at break enhances due to application of grafted polymer layer. This changes the path way of rupture and
has the possibility of stopping it and extending it to the larger deformation [46]. When fracture toughness of woven
laminates or UD laminates was compared to the multiaxial warp knit composites, the latter was observed to be better
[47,48].
Glass fiber reinforced PolyPropylene Fiber Metal Laminate shows excellent resistance when subjected to
low as well as high velocity impact conditions [49]. The mechanical properties of Kevlar fiber has been shown to
have highly depend upon uniaxial, biaxial and in-plane deformations [49, 50]. Work has also been carried out by
various researchers regarding the friction and wear phenomenon of the fiber considering fiber-fiber and metal-fiber
interaction. Few of them have used numerical methods for the analysis [43, 51-56].

3.2. Thermal characterization of Kevlar fiber

While analyzing the moisture absorption behaviour of a given composite material system, the factors such
as temperature and relative humidity are quite significant Assimilating certain level of moisture in the composites
will enhance the mechanical properties of the composites. This would reduce the thermal stresses which have been
generated due to changes in the coefficients of thermal expansion of the fibre and the matrix as its temperature
reduces from the curing temperature [57].
As compared with epoxy matrix, Kevlar fibres have high negative coefficient of thermal expansion which
leads to residual stress in the interfaces of composite structure caused due to the manufacturing process [58]. The
degree of temperature sensitivity is indirectly proportional to the strain rate for Kevlar and E-Glass fibre bundles
[42]. Kevlar fibre has a fully aromatic rod-like structure which impart high thermal stability [59]. The stability
temperature for Kevlar is up to 545˚C. Below this temperature, it loses its stability and might cause loss of hydrogen
bonds. [60]. the ratio of stiffness to thermal conductivity of Kevlar chords is 10 times greater than that of stainless
steel [61]. Thus it is important to understand the thermal characteristics for efficient use of Kevlar in ballistic
applications as high impact results in greater temperatures.

4. Ballistic Impact on Kevlar Composites

The fragment impact with the fabric is attributed with certain aspects such as, (i) a resisting force exerted by the
fabric on the projectile which reduces the fragment velocity, (ii) the fabric deformed and accelerated, (iii) generation
of strain waves in the penetration area along the yarns towards the fabric edges [62]. A pivotal factor for measuring
the performance of ballistic impact and the best possible way to determine the maximum displacement of the armor
during impact is called as back face signature (BFS). The anisotropic materials show much complex behavior as
compared to that of isotropic materials [63].
 S. Naik et al. / Materials Today: Proceedings 21 (2020) 1366–1374 1369

Under ballistic impact, the behavior of the composite material under ballistic impact are affected by some
of the significant attributes such as anisotropic nature of material, compaction of material, phase change, coupling of
deviatoric as well as volumetric behavior [64-66]. An orthotropic material was simulated by using finite element
analysis and the data obtained from the experimental investigation was analyzed for creating an advanced model for
orthotropic materials and understand the behaviour [65, 67].
In order to improve the ballistic performance of the composite structure, a shear thickening fluid (STF) was
used. The STF concentration at maximum level and minimum level of padding pressure has led to highest level of
yarn-pull out force as well as percentage of weight add-on [68]. In a certain study, it was observed that addition of
fillers i.e. nano-clays increases the threshold of penetration, thus enhancing the performance of the composite target
structure [69]. A certain set of investigators experimented by taking specimens of hybrid composite consisting of
Kevlar and Carbon fibers in the orientation of 0˚, 45˚, 90˚ by impacting at low velocities under drop weight test.
Tensile, compressive and impact strength have been tested using Charpy test and certain tensile tests which inferred
that the impact strength of Kevlar reinforced polymer composites was much better than the carbon fiber reinforced
polymer composites and the hybrid had intermediate properties. But the hybrid showed better static mechanical
properties as compared to other specimens [70]. Composites and hybrids made of Kevlar 49 and untreated carbon
fibers with epoxy resin have been investigated by stacking in various orientations [71]. Three-point bending impact
tests were done in order to determine the impact behavior of such composites. The hybrid with the Kevlar layer at
the extreme ends shows an increase of 50% in energy absorption as compared to other specimens [72].
By using a drop tower test facility, composite tubes formed from graphite/epoxy, Kevlar/epoxy,
glass/epoxy were experimented and depending on the angle lay-up and the stacking sequence various results have
been obtained which significantly showed that the K/Ep composite tube failed through buckling model [73]. An
analytical formulation is being done for determining the damage behavior under ballistic impact. This model was
applicable in general for any fibrous composite in which the fibers are woven together to form a new composite
[74].
The Kevlar woven fabrics impregnated with shear thickening fluid (silica colloidal particles are suspended)
were subjected to ballistic tests in Army Research Laboratory and were found to be easily comparable with the
strength of neat plain Kevlar fabrics with comparatively more thickness than the former [75]. Even the hybrid
structure consisting of Kevlar 49 and Aluminium 5086-H-32 alloy when impregnated with STF, led to significant
improvement in ballistic performance [76].
In a certain study, the specimen consists of carbon composite placed in between the Kevlar layers has been
subjected to numerical and experimental investigation. The experimental testing was done according to Military
Specifications MIL-C-44050 and MIL-STD-662F and the material properties required for the numerical hydrocode
simulation was compiled from [78-80] The variation was done with respect to the type of the projectile used against
the type of target with various thickness.
A composite sandwich structure consisted of woven carbon/epoxy with PVC foam sheets as core has been
investigated with a drop mass falling at increasing heights. No significant delamination occurs unless the target
structure is subjected to high velocity [81]. A sandwich construction consisting of glass fiber reinforced polymer
structure and Kevlar with epoxy resin showed good ballistic performance in both experimental and numerical
analysis [82]. In a certain investigation, instead of PVC foam metal foams are used as core. In that case, the
composite metal foams have been observed to absorb 60-70% of energy from the projectiles [83].
The experimental and numerical investigation of Kevlar 129, Kevlar 29 composite panels were done in
order to determine the BFS i.e. back face signature. But the results for Kevlar 29 composite panels subjected to
hemispherical projectile was comparably less in agreement with each other than the conical projectile [84]. In
another study, ballistic performance of a composite consisting of a multiplayer Kevlar fabric with two different
cores were compared [85].
Any armor is being used to absorb the kinetic energy of the projectile so as to protect the structure beneath
the material. Hence, studying the ballistic performance of Kevlar composites is necessary under varied temperatures
[86]. Experimental and numerical investigation was done on a three-dimensional angle interlock woven composite
material [87]. Experimental investigation of hybrid composite consisting of woven Kevlar fiber and Aluminum
oxide powder/epoxy was carried out. The analytical model predicted the energy absorption and hence the
relationship between the thicknesses of the composite and the ballistic limit velocity [88].
Experimental investigation of two specimens was done in which hybrid composite: multi-layer Kevlar
aramid fabric/PP composite laminates and plain layered aramid fabric composite, in which the former exhibits better
1370 S. Naik et al. / Materials Today: Proceedings 21 (2020) 1366–1374

ballistic performance [89]. The composite laminated panels consisting of layers of Kevlar as well as 6061
Aluminum has been experimentally and numerically investigated [90]. The 3D woven fabric nanocomposite
modelled and simulated in the analysis software, show agreeable results with the experimentation which has been
carried out by considering a compatible matrix-nanoparticle system [91].
Experimental and numerical investigation of ballistic textile fabrics composite was done which are in good
correlation with each other [92-95]. Experimental and numerical results when compared shows better results for
hybrid lay-up than the simple pain composite [96]. In some studies, analytical as well as experimental investigation
are done and the results are in good agreement with each other [97, 98]. A comparison of various fabric architecture
in composite laminates was investigated with the software simulation and Kevlar of different fabric architectures
namely 2D plain wove, 3D orthogonal, 3D angle interlock woven composites were compared [99, 100]. Based on
the types of projectile nose, i.e. hemispherical or conical shaped with Kevlar composites of two different thickness
were investigated experimentally [101]. It is evident that several investigations have been carried out in different
ballistic applications using experimental and computer simulations. Owing to difficulty in experimentation,
simulation has proven to be an important development in the field of ballistic impact studies.

5. Failure in Kevlar fibers and Composites

The characterization of damage in the composite structure can be done by certain factors such as spallation
of front face of the composite target structure, formation of a crater hole due to impact, debonding, spallation of rear
face as well as ejecta plumes [102]. Post transverse impacts, there are some failure modes through which the
composite might fail, i.e. delamination, fiber debonding and pull out, fiber breakage [103]. Depending on the
viscoelastic features of the composite, it has a finite response time. Interface failure, a prominent failure mode is
caused when the impact velocity is comparatively higher due to which the energy transfer is faster in rate than that
of the absorption of impact energy by composite strain [104]. During impact, if the level of stress for fiber is not
high enough for the breakage, then it acts as a stiff barrier which halts the propagating crack in the matrix [105].
Few of the studies have shown that the tensile strength is reduced due to the condition of breakage of fibers
as well as the energy absorption depends upon the fiber strength i.e. impact features are highly affected [106, 107]
whereas the size of the delamination and its effects are less affiliated to the tensile strength of the target laminate
structure [108]. The damage tolerance in the impact condition have significantly enhanced because of increased
shear strength and stiffness of the matrix material which, therefore led to enhancement of fiber buckling resistance
under compression as a result of the presence of nano-clay in the matrix [109, 110]. When the rupture behavior and
the failure mechanism of composite laminates at different temperature levels are compared, it has been found to be
complicated than at room temperature [58, 111-116]. The factor most susceptible to impact is the compressive
strength which is residual in the target structure [117-120]. The deformation process of a ballistic vest made of
fabric during impact is a function of various parameters such as material properties, its structure, impactor geometry,
boundary conditions, impact velocity, friction, multiple ply interaction [121].
Thus it is important for a researcher to understand these parameters while designing armours of Kevlar
composites to avoid any potential failure.

6. Conclusion

A brief review on the different aspects of Kevlar composites pertaining to ballistic applications, characterization
of Kevlar fibers and various mechanisms have been presented in this literature. It has been observed that the
research in this arena has got great impetus after the invention of high modulus, high strength fibers in the 1960s.
Preliminary work was oriented towards the basic, chemical and physical structure analysis along with the
determination of mechanical, thermal and impact properties which finally culminated in the research concerning the
development of ballistic material Kevlar.
Experimental studies were carried out initially, but the advancements in computing methods have led to software
simulations, coupled with characterizations using nano-indentation techniques, scanning electron microscope.
Behavior of ballistic fibers are even represented mathematically in the form of mathematical and analytical models,
micromechanics, and macro-mechanics and by using other constitutive techniques. Various constitutive models have
been developed by some investigators for predicting the post failure modes, energy absorption, and deformation
behavior for transversely isotropic material.
 S. Naik et al. / Materials Today: Proceedings 21 (2020) 1366–1374 1371

Very less work has been reported by considering the target material to behave as 3D orthotropic and anisotropic
material. There is a need of developing a generalized model for predicting the material properties and post impact
behavior of highly complex anisotropic material.
There are significant challenges with numerical analysis such as difficulty in encompassing all the possible
failure modes and general conditions while analyzing the problem in simulation software. The parameters
considered in the analysis by the investigators are inter-related to each other but as these parameters are singled out
in investigational studies, it becomes quite difficult to predict the exact behavior of the material. An inclusion of all
possible parameters in future studies would increase the accuracy of analysis of this complex yet important area of
research at a large scale.

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