Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) composites are used in a wide array of protective armor systems. Design of these systems is largely performed through empirical studies which can be costly and time consuming. Modeling tools that enable enhanced performance through exploitation of the design of laminated composite architectures are desired. In this effort, we present a multi-scale, finite element-based representative volume element (RVE) approach that uses laminate mechanics to capture the ply-level material nonlinearity and strain-induced fiber reorientation of UHMWPE composite laminates subjected to low-velocity impact (LVI) loading. The effects of strain rate on the ply-level material response and predicted LVI response of UHMWPE composites are explored. An LVI methodology is developed to characterize the impact performance of thick-section UHMWPE composite materials and applied with the RVE finite element model to calibrate material and delamination properties for Honeywell® SpectraShield® II SR-3136 and DSM Dyneema® HB210. The multi-scale RVE approach accurately captures the peak back-face deformation and extent of delamination for laminates of these materials across three impact energies. The LVI methodology provides a means to evaluate and rank the impact performance of various UHMWPE composite materials, laminate architectures, and processing conditions. The LVI methodology coupled with the multi-scale RVE approach produces ply-level behavior and delamination properties linked to materials and processing conditions, ultimately creating a modeling tool that is capable of exploring the design of laminate architectures for UHMWPE composite structures.

超高分子量聚乙烯 (UHMWPE) 复合材料用于各种防护装甲系统。这些系统的设计主要是通过经验研究进行的，这可能既昂贵又耗时。需要能够通过开发层压复合结构的设计来增强性能的建模工具。在这项工作中，我们提出了一种多尺度、基于有限元的代表性体积元 (RVE) 方法，该方法使用层压力学来捕获 UHMWPE 复合层压板在低速冲击下的层级材料非线性和应变引起的纤维重新定向(LVI) 加载。探讨了应变率对 UHMWPE 复合材料的层级材料响应和预测 LVI 响应的影响。开发了 LVI 方法来表征厚截面 UHMWPE 复合材料的冲击性能，并应用 RVE 有限元模型来校准 Honeywell® SpectraShield® II SR-3136 和 DSM Dyneema® HB210 的材料和分层特性。多尺度 RVE 方法准确地捕获了这些材料层压板在三种冲击能量下的峰值背面变形和分层程度。LVI 方法提供了一种评估和排序各种 UHMWPE 复合材料、层压结构和加工条件的冲击性能的方法。LVI 方法与多尺度 RVE 方法相结合，产生与材料和加工条件相关的层级行为和分层特性，