Shock Tube Test for Energy Absorbing Materials

Abstract

This report describes the redesign and demonstration of an experiment, developed by the Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC), to measure the response of energy absorbing materials behind a buffer material, loaded with the shockwave and dynamic pressure pulse in a shock tube. This test has application in the development of body armor for blast attenuation and impact attenuation. Foam materials are rapidly compressed between the striker (buffer) and fixed test plate at dynamic strain rates reaching peak levels between 500-1000/s. Foam stress is calculated by measuring the reaction force of the material with a dynamic load cell. Foam compression is measured through high speed video image analysis. With the current experimental set-up, the material test results are very similar to those obtained with a drop weight impact test.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 13, 2013
Accession Number
ADA585428

Entities

People

  • John Fitek

Organizations

  • United States Army Soldier Systems Center

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems
  • Sensors

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Cells
  • Drop Tests
  • Dynamic Loads
  • Dynamic Pressure
  • Engineering
  • Impact Tests
  • Load Cells
  • Materials
  • Measurement
  • Mechanics
  • Protective Equipment
  • Shock Tubes
  • Strain Rate
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Test Equipment
  • Test Methods
  • Video

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Combustion Dynamics and Shock Wave Physics.
  • Systems Analysis and Design
  • ballistics.