Ok, this may seem like a proposterous idea, but our client insist, and I was told to come up with an educated response: Here's the deal - out of our flexible membranes he intend to make some inflatable articles (i assume dummies or scenery objects) to be placed in a paint-ball guns playfround. He is asking will the membrane be damaged by the pellets. He has given us details as per the pellets (weight, exit velocity), and i have thorough knowledge of the membrane's mechanical properties, as we are the manufacturer (calendering, over a standard PES high tenacity textile). I can calculate the pellets momentum and energy, and can estimate the pellets' cross-sectional area. However, I have not idea how to relate this to what i can tell of the membrane (strip tensile strength, tear strength, puncture resistance). I have no impact energy to break/tear the membrane as it is flexible, izod is inappropriate. puncture is under nearly static loading. tear is highly influenced by geometry (and rate of strain). I can say from personal experience that such a pellet does not break the skin of humans, nor does it penetrate the thin protective garment each player is required to wear. I would just like to translate that into quantitive form, as so not to appear "guestimating". I also though it would make a fun and interesting thread topic, while still in the realm of materials (I hesitated weather this should be posted on sci.polymers instead...)
TIA
E.V