Aramid Fiber Mesh as Reinforcement of Concrete Panels Subjected to High Strain Rates

Because of their high strength and energy dissipation capacity, aramid fibers are used widely as the material of choice for body armor and similar applications. Their use as reinforcement of concrete panels, whether prestressed or not, poses significant challenges because of their relatively low fiber-to-fiber friction coefficient and limited bond strength between fibers and cementitious matrix, as well as chemical incompatibility between aramid fibers and cement matrix. This paper explores the mechanisms by which more or less brittle materials embedded in body armor systems are capable of dissipating large amounts of energy, thereby preventing the penetration by armor-piercing projectiles and to determine whether such mechanisms can be reproduced with cement-composite thin sheets reinforced with similar aramid fiber mesh. A brief survey of the mathematical models available to describe such mechanisms will help determine to what extent such technology transfer is feasible.