Quantification of Behind Shield Blunt Impacts Using a Modified Upper Extremity Anthropomorphic Test Device.

Ballistic shields are used by military and police members in dangerous situations to protect the user against threats such as gunfire. When struck, the shield material deforms to absorb the incoming kinetic energy of the projectile. If the rapid back-face deformation contacts the arm, it can potentially impart a large force, leading to injury risk, termed behind armor blunt trauma (BABT). This work characterized the loading profiles due to the …