Finite Element Analysis of Pilot’s Helmet Design Using Composite Materials for Military Aircraft

ABSTRACT The objective of this research was to design pilot helmets and to perform analysis of designed ballistic helmet against impact strength of bullet in Solidworks and Laminator software. The material used for construction of the helmet is fiber reinforced polymer matrix composite in which polymer matrix is made of nylon, a thermoset resin, and the fibers are aramid, an aromatic polymide resin developed by E.I. duPont de Nemours and Company and sold under the trademarks “Kevlar®” and “Nomex®”. The design of the helmet is done by deciding the stacking sequence of various laminae which are oriented with main material directions at different angles to the global laminate axes in order to produce a structural element in the form of a shell. The simulation of the helmet in Solidworks and Laminator is done with an 8-g AK 47 bullet, hitting it with a velocity of 710 m/s. The model is validated against published data and a good correlation is observed. The result of this project is that a 1.30 kg helmet with shell thickness of 7 mm is obtained, which is economical, light weight and is able to give high-performance protection against ballistic shrapnel and bullets.