Behind Shield Blunt Trauma: Characterizing the Back-Face Deformation of Shields with a Focus on Upper Limb Loading

Shield back-face deformation (BFD) is the result of composite ballistic shields deflecting or absorbing a projectile’s energy and deforming towards the user. BFD can result in localized loading to the upper extremity, where the shield is secured to the user. An augmented anthropomorphic test device upper extremity was used to quantify this applied load. Four locations along the upper extremity were tested—the hand, wrist, forearm, and elbow—for …