Mechanism of pre-tension on the impact response of plain weave fabric: Experimental and numerical investigation

•A novel biaxial pre-tension fixture was developed, and bullet impact test of the fabric in pre-tensile state was realized using an air gun.•The displacement-time history of each point on fabric in three-dimensional space was characterized through 3-D DIC technology.•The effect of pre-tension on transverse wave propagation is studied.•Finite element model established by the truss element verifies the experimental conclusion.•The wave transmission process in yarns at a mesoscopic level was analyzed. The fabrics made of high strength and toughness fibers are increasingly used in the structural and individual protection. The research on energy dissipation mechanism and the improvement methods for improving energy dissipation of the fabric under impact, as well as the change of ballistic limit velocity under pre-stress, is relatively mature. However, the transmission mode and velocity of transverse wave in the fabric, as well as the method of accurate finite element simulation is still lacking. In this paper, the transverse impact response of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fabric subjected to fragment impact is studied experimentally and numerically. A novel biaxial pre-tension fixture was developed, and fragment impact test of the fabric in pre-tension state was realized using a gas gun. The displacement-time history of each point on the fabric in three-dimensional space was characterized through 3-D DIC technology, and the process of transverse wave transmission on the fabric after fragment impact was obtained. The calculated results of the finite element model established by truss element agrees reasonably well with the experimental results. The experimental and numerical results indicate that the impact velocity of fragment affects the velocity of transverse wave in the fabric, but does not change its transmission mode. With the increase of pre-tension amount, the propagation mode changes from a cross shape to a rhombic shape and finally to a circular shape, and the wave velocity increases greatly. The wave transmission process in yarns at a mesoscopic level was analyzed through finite element simulation, and the transmission path was determined. It was found that pre-tension accelerated the wave velocity on the stepwise path, causing the transverse wave to reach a farther position in the diagonal direction of the fabric, resulting in different modes of wave transmission. The research content may provide more ways for the application of