Modeling of the dynamic response of a wearable composite for an underwater shock wave

The impact of underwater explosions is destructive. Current research primarily focuses on engineering protective materials, with limited attention given to materials for human protection. A composite has been developed for the mitigation of injuries caused by explosive impacts, consisting of a carbon fiber laminate, an artificial cartilage foam (ACF), and a Kevlar fabric. A finite element model was then constructed, which incorporated the explosion source, the composite, and an equivalent human body (EHB). This model was utilized to evaluate the effects of front and backing plate thicknesses and core panel density on the impact resistance and protective performance of the composite, from both material and human body perspectives. The results revealed that the impact resistance initially increased and, thereafter, decreased with a larger front plate thickness, core panel density, and backing plate thickness. This was caused by an excessive thickness or density impeding overall compressive deformation. In terms of the protective performance, the composite showed an optimal protection for front plate and backing plate thicknesses of 1.2 mm and 1.26 mm, respectively. Also, the relationship between the core panel density and the protective performance was nonlinear since the variations in the density altered the degree of wave impedance mismatch between the layers, thereby affecting the overall protective effectiveness. The optimal protective performance was obtained for a core density of 300 kg/m 3 . These findings have provided a theoretical basis and technical support for the design and safety evaluation of underwater explosion protection composites for human protection.