• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.331-338
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• 2023

Modern bulletproof armor must be light and have excellent penetration resistance to ensure the mobility and safety of soldiers and military vehicles. The ballistic performance of heterogeneous structures of laminated flat plates as bulletproof armor depends on the arrangement of constituent materials for the same weight. In this study, we analyze bulletproof performance according to the stacking sequence of laminated bulletproof armor composed of Kevlar, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, and ethylene-vinyl-acetate foam. A ballistic analysis was performed by colliding a 7.62 × 51 mm NATO cartridge's M80 bullet at a speed of 856 m/s with six lamination arrangements with constituent materials thicknesses of 5 mm and 6.5 mm. To evaluate the bulletproof performance, the residual speed and residual energy of the projectile that penetrated the heterogeneous laminated flat plates were measured. Simulation results confirmed that the laminated structure with a stacking sequence of Kevlar, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, and ethylene-vinyl-acetate foam had the best bulletproof performance for the same weight.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.21-28
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• 2017

This study investigated Kevlar fabric impregnated with shear thickening fluid (STF). The STF performance was assessed by comparing bullet-proof characteristics of STF impregnated and pure Kevlar material. The analysis employed a circular steel ball as the nominal warhead, and bulletproof characteristics were evaluated by the warhead residual velocity. Various initial velocity conditions were employed, with different bulletproof characteristics apparent for each velocity region. The results of this study provide effective data for future bulletproof material design and application.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.157-164
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• 2022

Representative bulletproof materials, such as aramid or ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene(UHMWPE), have excellent strength and modulus in the plane direction but are very vulnerable to forces applied in the thickness direction. This paper reports a study on the effects of reinforcement in the thickness direction when bulletproof composite fabrics are prepared to improve their performance. Aramid and UHMWPE fabrics were combined using the film-bonding, needle-punching, or stitching methods and then subjected to low-velocity projectile and ball-drop impact tests. The results of the low-velocity projectile test indicated that the backface signature(BFS) decreased by up to 29.2% in fabrics obtained via the film-bonding method. However, the weight of the film-bonded fabric increased by approximately 23% compared with that obtained by simple lamination, and the fabric stiffened on account of the binder. Flexibility, light weight for wearability, and excellent bulletproof performance are very important factors in the development of bulletproof materials. When the needle-punching method was used, the BFS increased as the fibers sustained damage by the needle. When the composite fabrics were combined by stitching, no significant difference in weight and thickness was observed, and the BFS showed similar results. When a diagonal stitching pattern was employed, the BFS decreased as the stitching density increased. By contrast, when a diamond stitching pattern was used, the fabric fibers were damaged and the BFS increased as the stitching density increased.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.332-339
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• 2020

This study was a prior study to establish the shelf life of bulletproof helmets, considered the aging factor of bulletproof helmets. To estimate the aging factor of bulletproof helmets, we established a hypothesis that the 'temperature' factor would have the greatest impact on the shelf life of the bulletproof helmet, considering the environmental treatment of the American army's bulletproof helmet's materials. To verify the hypothesis, high temperature acceleration environmental treatment of bulletproof helmets was performed, and the Arrhenius formula was applied to calculate the shelf life. The study result confirmed the negative correlation between bulletproof performance and high temperature, and the influence of temperature as an aging factor was not significant by deriving life by using the Arrhenius model. The limitation of this study is that we couldn't obtain enough samples due to the specificity (miliary supplies) of the test subjects. However, given that the life-related research on bulletproof helmets has not been carried out, this research has great implications and could be used as a reference for improving the Korean Army's bulletproof helmet specifications.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.300-307
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• 2020

This study examines the reliability evaluation concept and procedure of bulletproof materials (BRP: Bulletproof Reliability Program). ASRP, RAM analysis tasks were utilized for the study. Based on this analysis, the concept, method, performance system, and procedure of BRP were examined. The BRP task execution procedure consists of the following four steps. First, the business (evaluation) planning stage establishes the evaluation plan every year. Second, there is a testing stage that performs the general inspection, functional test, and operational test according to the established plan. Thirdly, there is an evaluation/analysis phase to synthesize/analyze the results and to judge the appropriate grade considering the performance of bulletproof materials. Finally, the follow-up step of each group according to the result. The following criteria are suggested for BRP implementation: BRP testing capability, development of BRP evaluation method, and recognition of the importance of BRP business.

• Journal of Korean Society for Quality Management
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.283-294
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• 2019

Purpose: Although the development of bulletproof helmets continues to be carried out, little has been improved in testing methods. Therefore, in this study, we studied the improvement of the test method of the domestic bulletproof helmet. Methods: The causes of head damage in the battlefield and the trends of bulletproof helmet development in developed countries were analyzed. In addition, improvements were derived by comparing the test methods of bulletproof helmet in Korea and the United States. Results: The results of the improvement by comparing the test methods of bulletproof helmet in Korea and the United States are as follows First, it is an addition to the scope of environmental treatment. Second, it is an addition to the level of protection. Third, the addition of the level of protection by impact. Conclusion: This study considered testing methods to prevent head injuries to shocks that cannot be identified by conventional methods. In addition, it considered testing methods for various threats by improving protection performance to advanced countries' levels.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.43-51
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• 2019

Nacre of abalone shell features a "brick-and-mortar" microstructure, in which micro-plates of calcium carbonate are bonded by nanometers-thick layers of chitin and proteins. Due to the microstructure and its unique toughening mechanisms, nacre possesses an excellent combination of specific strength, stiffness and toughness. This study deals with the possibility of using nacre fragments obtained from abalone shell for making a bulletproof armor system. A composite plate laminated with abalone shell fragments is made and compression and bend tests are carried out. In addition, a bulletproof test is performed with hybrid armor systems which are composed of an alumina plate, a composite plate, and aramid woven fabric to verify the ballistic performance of nacre. The compressive strength of the composite plate is around 258.3 MPa. The bend strength and modulus of the composite plate decrease according to the plate thickness and are about 149.2 MPa and 50.3 GPa, respectively, for a 4.85 mm thick plate. The hybrid armor system with a planar density of $45.2kg/m^2$, which is composed of an 8 mm thick alumina plate, a 2.4 mm thick composite plate, and 18 layers of aramid woven fabric, satisfy the NIJ Standard 0101.06 : 2008 Armor Type IV. These results show that a composite plate laminated with abalone shell fragments can be used for a bulletproof armor system as an interlayer between ceramic and fabric to decrease the armor system's weight.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.771-781
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• 2017

The helmet is an imperative personal protective equipment. This protective device must be able to guard the human head against potential risks. Helmets are classified according into the purpose of use; therefore, the required performance and specifications depend on the type of products. Military helmets are intended to protect the wearer's head from bullets and shrapnel. Generally, lightweight super fibers and fiber reinforced composite materials are used as helmet shell materials, and NIJ STD of U.S. Department of Justice is most widely used as international standard related to bulletproof helmets. Safety helmets are widely used for industrial application and sports leisure. In general, the performance of shock absorption must be ensured, and various lining systems are applied in material, design, and combination methods. Evaluation standards have also been classified and strictly controlled for each purpose; therefore, it is difficult to certify with the existing standards such as the recently developed convergence helmets. However, it is possible to launch the product through a separate national integrated certification procedure.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.372-378
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• 2021

A body armor vest is a form of munition related directly to the safety and life of combatants. Therefore, it must meet the requirements for ballistic resistance. The ROK demands the performance of body armor vest meet the Level IIIA specified by the NIJ STD-0101.06 published by the US National Institute of Justice. This study performed acceptance tests on body armor vests. The factors for evaluating the ballistic resistance evaluated were not only whether it penetrates when shooting but also whether the BFS (Backface Signature) depth does not exceed 44 mm when it does not penetrate. The factors were assessed to determine if they were consistent or not. The BFS depth is affected by various test factors, such as the physical properties of the backing material and the changes in the amount of impact with the bullet velocity. In this study, an analysis of the bulletproof performance was performed by extracting the data with the same conditions using ANOVA to remove the influence of these external factors. The analysis revealed a correlation between the BFS depth, bullet velocity, vest conditions, and protection area. The mass production process was analyzed by estimating the Interval of BFS on each lot. Through this, a new methodology for ballistic resistance evaluation and paradigm for future quality assurance is suggested.

• Composites Research
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.235-240
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• 2020

In this study, in order to improve the impact resistance of the B₄C tile-inserted B₄C_p/Al7075 hybrid composite, a control method of the B₄C/Al7075 interface was developed and the characteristics of the controlled interface were analyzed. B₂O₃, Ni, and Si were coated on the B₄C tile surface using additional thermal oxidation, electroless plating, and plasma spraying. The coated B₄C tile is inserted into the B₄C_p/Al7075 composite material using the liquid pressurization method. Interfacial energy, bonding strength, and impact resistance were measured to analyze the effect of the coating. All coatings enhanced interfacial energy, bonding strength, and impact resistance, and in particular, it was confirmed that the impact resistance increased by 86.8% when B₂O₃ coating was used. This study is significant in developing and analyzing a core surface treatment method that improves the performance of B₄C/Al series composites, which are attracting attention as next-generation lightweight amour and bulletproof materials.