OLES

Body ArmorStandards and Testing Technical Workshop

Workshop Breakout SessionsWorkshop Breakout Sessions• General Testing IssuesGeneral Testing Issues

• Ensuring Service Life PerformanceEnsuring Service Life PerformanceTom FrazierTom FrazierFacilitatorFacilitator

President, The Frazier GroupPresident, The Frazier Group

Kirk RiceKirk RiceTechnical LeadTechnical Lead

Program Manager, Office of Law Enforcement StandardsProgram Manager, Office of Law Enforcement StandardsNational Institute of Standards and TechnologyNational Institute of Standards and Technology

• Conformity Assessment ProgramConformity Assessment Program

• General Testing IssuesGeneral Testing Issues

• Ensuring Service Life PerformanceEnsuring Service Life PerformanceTom FrazierTom FrazierFacilitatorFacilitator

President, The Frazier GroupPresident, The Frazier Group

Kirk RiceKirk RiceTechnical LeadTechnical Lead

Program Manager, Office of Law Enforcement StandardsProgram Manager, Office of Law Enforcement StandardsNational Institute of Standards and TechnologyNational Institute of Standards and Technology

• Conformity Assessment ProgramConformity Assessment Program

What About Used Armor Performance?

What About Used Armor Performance?

Mechanical Damage:

−Routine “wear and tear,” flexing, abrasion, etc.

Other Environmental Damage:

−Hydrolytic, photolytic attack

−Chemical processes may be accelerated by temperature

Key Challenge:

−How to assess ballistic performance

Mechanical Damage:

−Routine “wear and tear,” flexing, abrasion, etc.

Other Environmental Damage:

−Hydrolytic, photolytic attack

−Chemical processes may be accelerated by temperature

Key Challenge:

−How to assess ballistic performance

Vest penetrations could occur because of:

−Threat mismatches

−Variations within common threat class (harder alloys, thicker jackets, steel jackets, etc.)

−Shot locations…near edges, close together, etc.

−Changes in armor performance (loss due to environmental factors, including normal “wear and tear”)

−Variations in armor performance due to lot-to-lot production variations

Vest penetrations could occur because of:

−Threat mismatches

−Variations within common threat class (harder alloys, thicker jackets, steel jackets, etc.)

−Shot locations…near edges, close together, etc.

−Changes in armor performance (loss due to environmental factors, including normal “wear and tear”)

−Variations in armor performance due to lot-to-lot production variations

Vest Penetration CausesVest Penetration Causes

Ensuring Service Life PerformanceEnsuring Service Life Performance• Expectations of used armorExpectations of used armor

• Test Conditions, Test Methods, and Data AnalysisTest Conditions, Test Methods, and Data Analysis

• Simulating the “Aged” Condition on New ArmorSimulating the “Aged” Condition on New Armor

• Non-Destructive Test MethodsNon-Destructive Test Methods

• Sensors/Tests to Determine Damage or AbuseSensors/Tests to Determine Damage or Abuse

• Expectations of used armorExpectations of used armor

• Test Conditions, Test Methods, and Data AnalysisTest Conditions, Test Methods, and Data Analysis

• Simulating the “Aged” Condition on New ArmorSimulating the “Aged” Condition on New Armor

• Non-Destructive Test MethodsNon-Destructive Test Methods

• Sensors/Tests to Determine Damage or AbuseSensors/Tests to Determine Damage or Abuse

Specific Recommendations Specific Recommendations ~ I~ Ideas ~ Helpdeas ~ Help Specific Recommendations Specific Recommendations ~ I~ Ideas ~ Helpdeas ~ Help

Ensuring Service Life PerformanceEnsuring Service Life Performance

• Interim requirementsInterim requirements

Various potential approaches depending on tests conducted, Various potential approaches depending on tests conducted, designs, history, and engineering analysisdesigns, history, and engineering analysis

• Forward-looking requirementsForward-looking requirements

Defining “standardized” environmental exposure protocols Defining “standardized” environmental exposure protocols

Establishing post-exposure performance-based testsEstablishing post-exposure performance-based tests

• Interim requirementsInterim requirements

Various potential approaches depending on tests conducted, Various potential approaches depending on tests conducted, designs, history, and engineering analysisdesigns, history, and engineering analysis

• Forward-looking requirementsForward-looking requirements

Defining “standardized” environmental exposure protocols Defining “standardized” environmental exposure protocols

Establishing post-exposure performance-based testsEstablishing post-exposure performance-based tests

Expectations of used armorExpectations of used armorExpectations of used armorExpectations of used armor

Ensuring Service Life PerformanceEnsuring Service Life Performance

• Experiences with used armor assessmentsExperiences with used armor assessments Penetration TestsPenetration Tests

Backface Signature TestsBackface Signature Tests

V50 TestsV50 Tests

Other TestsOther Tests

• Test conditions to challenge potential vulnerabilitiesTest conditions to challenge potential vulnerabilities

• Data analysis methodsData analysis methods

• Experiences with used armor assessmentsExperiences with used armor assessments Penetration TestsPenetration Tests

Backface Signature TestsBackface Signature Tests

V50 TestsV50 Tests

Other TestsOther Tests

• Test conditions to challenge potential vulnerabilitiesTest conditions to challenge potential vulnerabilities

• Data analysis methodsData analysis methods

Test Conditions, Test Methods, and Data Analysis ITest Conditions, Test Methods, and Data Analysis ITest Conditions, Test Methods, and Data Analysis ITest Conditions, Test Methods, and Data Analysis I

Ensuring Service Life PerformanceEnsuring Service Life Performance

• A common framework for discussing armor ballistic A common framework for discussing armor ballistic performance is neededperformance is needed

• Approach should be based on objective methods and have a Approach should be based on objective methods and have a statistical basisstatistical basis

• “…“…to limit the risk of accepting bad armor as well as the risk to limit the risk of accepting bad armor as well as the risk of rejecting good armor.”of rejecting good armor.”

• A common framework for discussing armor ballistic A common framework for discussing armor ballistic performance is neededperformance is needed

• Approach should be based on objective methods and have a Approach should be based on objective methods and have a statistical basisstatistical basis

• “…“…to limit the risk of accepting bad armor as well as the risk to limit the risk of accepting bad armor as well as the risk of rejecting good armor.”of rejecting good armor.”

OTA Report, Vol. II, p. 107OTA Report, Vol. II, p. 107OTA Report, Vol. II, p. 107OTA Report, Vol. II, p. 107

Test Conditions, Test Methods, and Data Analysis IITest Conditions, Test Methods, and Data Analysis IITest Conditions, Test Methods, and Data Analysis IITest Conditions, Test Methods, and Data Analysis II

Ensuring Service Life PerformanceEnsuring Service Life Performance

• Experiences with artificial aging methodsExperiences with artificial aging methods

• Changes in armorChanges in armor Mechanical damageMechanical damage Structural integrityStructural integrity Chemical changesChemical changes

• Identify promising artificial-aging approachesIdentify promising artificial-aging approaches

• Discuss how to best utilize “used armor” test resultsDiscuss how to best utilize “used armor” test results

• Experiences with artificial aging methodsExperiences with artificial aging methods

• Changes in armorChanges in armor Mechanical damageMechanical damage Structural integrityStructural integrity Chemical changesChemical changes

• Identify promising artificial-aging approachesIdentify promising artificial-aging approaches

• Discuss how to best utilize “used armor” test resultsDiscuss how to best utilize “used armor” test results

Simulating the “Aged” Condition on New ArmorSimulating the “Aged” Condition on New ArmorSimulating the “Aged” Condition on New ArmorSimulating the “Aged” Condition on New Armor

Mechanical Mechanical propertiespropertiesBallistic Ballistic performanceperformance

Mechanical Mechanical propertiespropertiesBallistic Ballistic performanceperformance

Ensuring Service Life PerformanceEnsuring Service Life Performance

• Experiences with promising technologiesExperiences with promising technologies

• Applications of technologies to identifying changes in Applications of technologies to identifying changes in armorarmor

• Discussion of strengths and weaknesses of technologiesDiscussion of strengths and weaknesses of technologies

• Experiences with promising technologiesExperiences with promising technologies

• Applications of technologies to identifying changes in Applications of technologies to identifying changes in armorarmor

• Discussion of strengths and weaknesses of technologiesDiscussion of strengths and weaknesses of technologies

Non-Destructive Test MethodsNon-Destructive Test Methods

Sensors/Tests to Determine Damage or AbuseSensors/Tests to Determine Damage or Abuse

Non-Destructive Test MethodsNon-Destructive Test Methods

Sensors/Tests to Determine Damage or AbuseSensors/Tests to Determine Damage or Abuse