RT Journal Article T1 Ballistic performance of aramid composite combat helmet for protection against small projectiles A1 Rubio Díaz, Ignacio A1 Rodríguez Millán, Marcos A1 Marco Esteban, Miguel A1 Olmedo Marcos, Álvaro A1 Loya Lorenzo, José Antonio AB This paper focuses on the ballistic performance of aramid composite combat helmet commonly worn by military and security corps, against small projectiles threat. We propose a numerical finite element model for aramid composite protections, considering a multi-layer architecture, able to predict its ballistic behaviour and damage extension. The aim is determining the minimum number of layers required for a correct protection against a given ballistic thread. The constitutive aramid behaviour has been calibrated by means of experimental tests with FSP (Fragment Simulate Projectiles) projectiles and steel spheres on aramid flat plates. Once calibrated, a predictive numerical model of the helmet against different small projectiles and impacted localisations was developed and compared with experimental tests performed in the real head protection. The results calculated for the absorbed impact energy by the helmet and the induced damage due to small projectiles at different impact location, are in good agreement with experimental results and postmortem helmet analysis, validating the proposed numerical model. The numerical model is thus validated for the design of optimized head protections based on aramid composite PB Elsevier SN 0263-8223 YR 2019 FD 2019-10-15 LK https://hdl.handle.net/10016/35255 UL https://hdl.handle.net/10016/35255 LA eng NO The authors acknowledge the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of Spain and the European Regional Development Fund, (FEDER) program under the Project RTC-2015-3887-8 and the Project DPI2017-88166-R for the financial support of the work. DS e-Archivo RD 27 jul. 2024