Impact resistant sheet material

An impact resistant sheet material comprising a moisture vapor permeable, water impermeable composite sheet material having barrier properties making it suitable for use as a housewrap, the sheet material comprising:

• a nonwoven substrate comprising polymeric fibers randomly disposed and bonded to one another to form a nonwoven web;
• an extrusion coated polyolefin film layer overlying one surface of the substrate and intimately bonded thereto, the film layer having micropores formed therein to impart to the composite sheet material a moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR) of at least 35 g/m2/day at 50% relative humidity and 23° C. and a hydrostatic head of at least 55 cm;
• and
• an impact resistant layer attached to a surface of the nonwoven substrate opposite the film layer, the impact resistant layer comprising fabric having at least two pluralities of intersecting strands that extend in different directions with respect to each other, wherein the impact resistant layer has a tensile strength of at least 445 Newtons and an elongation that is less than 10 percent and an Impact Resistance as measured by the Free-Falling Dart Method of greater than about 2pounds, and wherein the strands of the impact resistant layer comprise fiberglass.

An impact resistant wall structure comprising:

• a plurality of spaced apart framing members;
• a sheathing material mounted on an exterior side of the framing members;
• and
• an impact resistant sheet material fastened to the exterior surface of the sheathing material, the impact resistant sheet material consisting essentially of a moisture vapor permeable, water-impermeable polymeric barrier layer having a hydrohead of at least 55 cm and a moisture vapor transmission rate of at least 35 g/m2/day;
• and an impact resistant layer attached to the barrier layer, the impact resistant layer comprising a fabric layer having at least two pluralities of strands that extend in different directions and intersect each other, the impact resistant layer having a tensile strength of at least 445 Newtons, an elongation that is between 2 and 20 percent, and wherein the wall structure is able to successfully withstand an impact from a projectile comprising a 9 pound, 7 foot two-by-four traveling at a speed of at least 34 miles per hour without penetration of the wall structure, and wherein the strands of the impact resistant layer comprise fiberglass.

An impact resistant composite building panel consisting essentially of:

• a substrate layer having an interior and exterior surface;
• a moisture vapor permeable, water-impermeable, polymeric barrier layer having a hydrohead of at least 55 cm and a moisture vapor transmission rate of at least 35 g/m2/day;
• and
• an impact resistant layer disposed between the barrier layer and the substrate layer, the impact resistant layer comprising a fabric layer having at least two pluralities of strands that extend in different directions and intersect each other, the impact resistant layer having a tensile strength of at least 445 Newtons, an elongation that is between 2 and 20 percent, and an Impact Resistance as measured by the Free-Falling Dart Method of greater than about 0.7 pounds, wherein the substrate, barrier, and impact resistant layer are bonded to one another to from an impact resistant building panel that is able to successfully withstand an impact from a projectile comprising a 9 pound, 7 foot two-by-four traveling at a speed of at least 34 miles per hour without penetration of the building panel, and wherein the strands of the impact resistant layer comprise fiberglass.