Static and dynamic puncture failure behaviors of 3D needle-punched compound fabric based on Weibull distribution

Through-thickness reinforcement structure of compound fabric was formed through a two-sided needle-punching and thermal-bonding processes. This study presents static and dynamic puncture resistances of compound fabric comprised of Kevlar®/PA6/low-melting PET nonwoven, low-melting PET/PET nonwoven and woven fabric. The effect of the staple fibers fraction on puncture resistance was investigated to assess optimal fiber content in the nonwoven layer. Static and dynamic puncture failure models of non-thermal-bonded and thermal-bonded compound fabrics were constructed using a Weibull probability distribution to predict puncture failure reliability. Result indicates that puncture forces increased and then decreased with low-melting PET fibers, but steadily improved with recycled Kevlar® fibers. Puncture failure probability models show that thermal-bonding largely improved failure reliability of the static puncture property, but slightly decreased dynamic puncture performance. Puncture failure mechanisms were respectively exposed according to SEM observations.