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Material Measurement Laboratory / Materials Measurement Science Division

Security Technologies Group

Impact Mitigating Materials

The Security Technologies Group is working to develop improved metrology methods for determining the mechanical properties of soft, non-linear, and strain-rate dependent materials that have the potential to be used in impact mitigation applications. This work includes:

• Developing new dynamic test methods to assess stress and strain responses that are relevant to a variety of impact conditions.

• Developing techniques for volumetric strain measurements of anisotropic materials.

• Using inverse modeling methods to generate constitutive material models.

• Developing new material and system design strategies based on MGI concepts.

New standard test methods will allow other researchers and institutions to accurately assess the impact-mitigating performance of their materials. Of particular interest is accurately measuring the impact response of materials that are subjected to loads from multiple directions.

Metrology methods for volumetric strain measurements at dynamic rates and inverse modeling techniques for impact mitigating materials will improve the community’s understanding of the material performance and lead to improvements in protective product design.