A methodology for assessing blast protection in explosive ordnance disposal bomb suits.
To reduce human casualties associated with explosive ordnance disposal, a wide range of protective wear has been designed to shield against the blast effects of improvised explosive devices and munitions. In this study, 4 commercially available bomb suits, representing a range of materials and armor masses, were evaluated against 0.227 and 0.567 kg of spherical C-4 explosives to determine the level of protection offered to the head, neck, and thorax. A Hybrid III dummy, an instrumented human surrogate [1], was tested with and without protection from the 4 commercially available bomb suits. 20 tests with the dummy torso mounted to simulate a kneeling position were performed to confirm repeatability and robustness of the dummies, as well as to evaluate the 4 suits. Correlations between injury risk assessments based on past human or animal injury model data and various parameters such as bomb suit mass, projected area, and dummy coverage area were drawn.
Bass
Cameron R Dale
CR
University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22902, USA.
Bass
Cameron Dale
CD
Davis
Martin
M
Rafaels
Karin
K
Rountree
Mark Steve
MS
Harris
Robert M
RM
Sanderson
Ellory
E
Andrefsky
Walter
W
DiMarco
Gina
G
Zielinski
Michael
M
D001753:Blast Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000517:prevention & control; D005107:Explosions; D005389:Firearms; D006260:Head Protective Devices; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008348:Manikins; D008889:Military Personnel; D019838:Neck Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control; D016272:Occupational Health; D016544:Patient Simulation; D011481:Protective Clothing; D011482:Protective Devices; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D023481:Terrorism; D013898:Thoracic Injuries