Medical Evaluation of Nonfragment Injury Effects in Armored Vehicle Live Fire Tests: Instrumentation Requirements and Injury Criteria
Abstract
Penetration of armored vehicles by antitank munitions produce a number of potential nonfragment hazards to crew members which include blast overpressure, toxic gases, burns and acceleration. This report outlines the testing methodology and criteria used in the Army's Live Fire Test program to predict injury and fractional incapacitation. Complex blast waves are evaluated using the effective peak pressure method which relates reverberant blast to well accepted criteria used for freefield blast waves. Blast injury levels are then related to incapacitation using criterion developed by blast experts. Injury criteria were developed for toxic gases including NO2, NO, CO, CO2, HF, HBr, HC1, HCN, acrolein and formaldehyde. For some gases, both immediate and delayed fractional incapacitation are defined. Burn criterion was developed from the probability of second degree burn under clothing. Automative car crash criteria were used to develop predictive methodologies for the incidence of acceleration injury. These testing methodology and injury criteria ill be updated as justified by additional testing and medical research.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA233058
Entities
People
- Gary R. Ripple
- Thomas G. Mundie
Organizations
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research