Abstract
Materials designed to absorb and dissipate energy play a crucial role in daily activities. An important step in the development of new energy-absorbing materials is measuring their ability to mitigate energy from an impact. The drop-weight impact rig is one such device, which facilitates testing and measuring of energy absorption.
In collaboration with AgResearch yarn lengths were produced, and then tufted to create two different sets of cut-pile fabric. The fabric then underwent drop-weight impact testing to measure its effectiveness at reducing the peak impact force, and peak deceleration. Fabric samples were tested twice in order to detect if deterioration of the structure had occurred after the first impact.
During testing significant reductions in peak force and deceleration were measured. Certain combinations of variables caused more force to be absorbed or dissipated than others. No statistically significant difference in the amount of force absorbed during the repeated impact was detected during the first set of fabrics. This indicates that no deterioration of the structure had occurred. A very slight reduction in the amount of force absorbed during the repeated impact was detected in the second set of fabrics. However, this was attributed to the consistency of the testing procedure, resulting in low standard deviations throughout. Results of the impact testing regime indicated the fabric samples performed at a comparable level to impact attenuating devices such as hip protectors.