Ballistic Performance Evaluation of an Innovative Flexible Textile Panel for Protective Wall Applications

Abstract

Lightweight deployable protective systems are increasingly required in military infrastructures, emergency settlements, and temporary protective structures. This study presents the ballistic performance evaluation of an innovative flexible textile panel developed as a rapidly deployable protective wall system. The investigated solution consists of a foldable textile structure forming a sequence of cells that can be filled on site with granular materials such as sand or gravel. An experimental campaign was conducted through collaboration between Politecnico di Milano and the Italian Air Force Flight Test Centre to assess the resistance of several panel configurations against small‐arms fire. Ballistics tests were performed according to procedures consistent with NATO STANAG 2280 classification standards. Panels characterized by different thicknesses and filling materials were subjected to impacts produced by 5.56 × 45 mm, 7.62 × 39 mm, and 7.62 × 51 mm ammunition. Additional tests were carried out using shotgun projectiles to observe the structural response under different impact conditions. High‐speed imaging and velocity measurements allowed analysis of projectile behaviour during impact. The results demonstrate that flexible textile panels filled with dense granular materials provide significant energy dissipation and effective containment of projectile fragments. Configurations with thicknesses equal to or greater than approximately 25 cm showed reliable resistance to penetration under the tested conditions. The study confirms the potential of flexible textile systems as lightweight and transportable protective wall solutions suitable for rapidly deployable architectural applications.