Lightweight Structures Roadside Blast Protection

Explosions from landmines and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) have been used in both Iraq and Afghanistan as the primary methods of the insurgent forces to engage lightly armored tactical vehicles. These explosive devices place our military troops and civilian personnel in constant peril, exposed to significant injury or death. Protection of the occupants of military and civilian vehicles from IED and mine blasts currently relies on a heavy armor retrofit which affects fuel efficiency and both tactical and strategic maneuverability. Therefore, based on the need for a more effective armor system that does not limit maneuver nor overburdens the logistical support system, the objective of the proposed work is to develop suitable, light weight, volumetrically efficient blast mitigation materials and concomitant designs that can be integrated with legacy technologies to achieve synergistic reduction in blast threats. The blast threats include over-pressure, impulse, and ballistic fragments. The resultant design will provide a blast shield that is designed to deflect blast energy away from the vehicle while incorporating innovative materials and construction to limit damage and fragmentation. Phase I will involve preliminary material investigations, prototype development and blast testing to obtain initial confirmation of utility.