Bio-Inspired Ballistic Shock Absorber

High-frequency shocks are a continuing problem for personnel and equipment on today''s battlefields. The need exists to better protect vehicles, buildings, critical microelectronics components, and especially personnel in the severe, high-acceleration environments associated with ballistic impact. Advanced characterization and computational modeling of ballistic impact responses are needed to better define the physics of shock mitigation and to enable design of new protection concepts. Improved material shock response and decreased acceleration in response to ballistic shock are needed to reduce occupant injury and increase survivability of sensitive equipment in severe ballistic events. The proposed solution must be capable of mitigating ballistic shocks while addressing the increasing demand of protecting occupants in advanced armored vehicles or electronics equipment in the next-generation smart munitions and guided projectiles. Cornerstone Research Group Inc. (CRG) proposes to develop, model and demonstrate an innovative bio-inspired armor protective system and shock attenuating materials that protect military occupants and advanced hardware against detrimental shock or load transmission due to ballistic impacts. The overall process to obtain a realistic, workable solution will encompass two pathways: 1) a computational tool to support the design and development of armor protective systems against ballistic shock, and 2) a bio-inspired armor protective system.