Room Temperature Ballistic Testing Backing Material

Roma Plastilina #1 (RP#1) clay has been used for nearly five decades as an industry standard recording medium in ballistic testing of body armor and helmets. RP#1 provides a simulated tissue response that can be correlated to human tissue damage. Despite its long history of use in ballistic testing, RP#1 was actually developed and is manufactured for the artistic community. Its formulation and properties have changed over time, so the Army has had to adapt new handling and calibration methods to support the ongoing use of RP#1 and preserve the link to legacy ballistic test data. In addition, the raw materials used in the production of RP#1 have inherent differences which are naturally occurring and uncontrollable, such that no supplier can guarantee clay composition, microstructure or formulation consistency. Under the proposed program, METSS will develop a new ballistic backing material that is dedicated for use in the ballistic testing community. The new material will be able to meet the calibration test standard when tested at ambient temperature, while maintaining a viscoelastic response that is consistent with RP#1 so ballistic data generated with the new material can maintain ties with legacy test data. The new material will be based on synthetic materials, using controlled industrial processing methods to produce a consistent product with well-defined thixotropic behavior.