Experimental and computational investigations of the potential improvement in helmet blast-protection through the use of a polyurea-based external coating
Multidiscipline Modeling in Materials and Structures
ISSN: 1573-6105
Article publication date: 13 June 2016
Abstract
Purpose
The design of the Advanced Combat Helmet (ACH) currently in use was optimized by its designers in order to attain maximum protection against ballistic impacts (fragments, shrapnel, etc.) and hard-surface/head collisions. Since traumatic brain injury experienced by a significant fraction of the soldiers returning from the recent conflicts is associated with their exposure to blast, the ACH should be redesigned in order to provide the necessary level of protection against blast loads. The paper aims to discuss this issue.
Design/methodology/approach
In the present work, an augmentation of the ACH for improved blast protection is considered. This augmentation includes the use of a polyurea (a nano-segregated elastomeric copolymer) based ACH external coating. To demonstrate the efficacy of this approach, blast experiments are carried out on instrumented head-mannequins (without protection, protected using a standard ACH, and protected using an ACH augmented by a polyurea explosive-resistant coating (ERC)). These experimental efforts are complemented with the appropriate combined Eulerian/Lagrangian transient non-linear dynamics computational fluid/solid interaction finite-element analysis.
Findings
The results obtained clearly demonstrated that the use of an ERC on an ACH affects (generally in a beneficial way) head-mannequin dynamic loading and kinematic response as quantified by the intracranial pressure, impulse, acceleration and jolt.
Originality/value
To the authors’ knowledge, the present work is the first reported combined experimental/computational study of the blast-protection efficacy and the mild traumatic brain-injury mitigation potential of polyurea when used as an external coating on a helmet.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Expression of Concern: The publisher of the Multidiscipline Modeling in Materials and Structures is issuing an Expression of Concern for the following article Grujicic, M., Ramaswami, S., Snipes, J.S., Yavari, R. and Dudt, P. (2016), “Experimental and computational investigations of the potential improvement in helmet blast-protection through the use of a polyurea-based external coating”, published in Multidiscipline Modeling in Materials and Structures, Vol. 12 No. 1, pp. 33-72, to inform readers that credible concerns have been raised regarding the originality of this paper. An investigation is ongoing and is currently unresolved. Further information will be provided by Multidiscipline Modeling in Materials and Structures as it becomes available.
The material presented in this paper is based on work supported by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) research contract entitled “Reactive-Moiety Functionalization of Polyurea for Increased Shock-Mitigation Performance,” Contract Number N00014-14-1-0286. The authors would like to express their appreciation to Dr Roshdy Barsoum, ONR, program sponsor, for many helpful discussions, guidance and continuing interest.
Citation
Grujicic, M., Ramaswami, S., Snipes, J.S., Yavari, R. and Dudt, P. (2016), "Experimental and computational investigations of the potential improvement in helmet blast-protection through the use of a polyurea-based external coating", Multidiscipline Modeling in Materials and Structures, Vol. 12 No. 1, pp. 33-72. https://doi.org/10.1108/MMMS-02-2015-0009
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited