Validation of a simple go/no-go damage detection system for personal ceramic body armor using pressure sensitive film

A method for predicting damage in ceramic body armor using pressure sensitive dye-indicator film (PSF) is presented. Results from impact experiments using impactors of various masses onto ceramic armor panels, employing the use of a CPR manikin to model the human torso are presented. Trends of increasing impactor acceleration and force as a function of increasing impact energy are shown. Differing acceleration profiles between damaged and undamaged armor panels is seen. Experiments employing the pressure sensitive film are presented. Indication on the PSF show good correlation to the measured force of the impact. Correlation extends for each impactor through a wide range of impact energies. A simplified numerical model was developed that captures the general trends of the experimental data. An analytical model is shown to accurately predict the maximum acceleration values for each impactor through a range of impact energies. Also presented are the results of ballistics testing performed on both undamaged and damaged armor panels.