title: Analysis of behind the armor ballistic trauma.
abstract: The impact response of body armor composed of a ceramic plate with an ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber-reinforced composite and layers of UHMWPE fibers shielding a block of ballistic gelatin has been experimentally and numerically analyzed. It is a surrogate model for studying injuries to human torso caused by a bullet striking body protection armor placed on a person. Photographs taken with a high speed camera are used to determine deformations of the armor and the gelatin. The maximum depth of the temporary cavity formed in the ballistic gelatin and the peak pressure 40mm behind the center of the gelatin front face contacting the armor are found to be, respectively, ~34mm and ~15MPa. The Johnson-Holmquist material model has been used to simulate deformations and failure of the ceramic. The UHMWPE fiber-reinforced composite and the UHMWPE fiber layers are modeled as linear elastic orthotropic materials. The gelatin is modeled as a strain-rate dependent hyperelastic material. Values of material parameters are taken from the open literature. The computed evolution of the temporary cavity formed in the gelatin is found to qualitatively agree with that seen in experiments. Furthermore, the computed time histories of the average pressure at four points in the gelatin agree with the corresponding experimentally measured ones. The maximum pressure at a point and the depth of the temporary cavity formed in the gelatin can be taken as measures of the severity of the bodily injury caused by the impact; e.g. see the United States National Institute of Justice standard 0101.06-Ballistic Resistance of Body Armor.
authors: School of Mechanical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China. Electronic address: wenyk2011@163.com.
authors: Yaoke
authors: Y
authors: Wen
authors: School of Mechanical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China.
authors: Cheng
authors: C
authors: Xu
authors: No. 208 Research Institute of China Ordnance Industries, Beijing 102202, China.
authors: Shu
authors: S
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, M/C 0219, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
authors: R C
authors: RC
authors: Batra
mesh_terms: D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D005780:Gelatin / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008422:Materials Testing; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D008970:Molecular Weight; D020959:Polyethylene / Q000737:chemistry; D011312:Pressure; D011481:Protective Clothing; D012984:Software; D014947:Wounds and Injuries
chemical_list: D005780:Gelatin; D020959:Polyethylene
keywords: Ballistic gelatin; Behind armor blunt trauma; Body armor; Ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) composite