EVALUATION AND COMPARISON OF BACKFACE DEFORMATION

The choice of backing material when performing evaluation testing on body armor materials is crucial. Different types of material produce different parameters that may be observed and studied. RP1 has been the standard backing clay used in ballistic armor testing since its implementation in the 1970s. Due to formulation changes and its need to be temperature controlled, those in the ballistic community began investigating new materials. This led the Army Research Laboratory to create a new temperature-insensitive silicone composite clay material. This study observed the ballistic impact of both the silicone composite and RP1 using three threat levels (HG1, HG2, and RF1) as stated by the National Institute of Justice. It was found that both clay types responded similarly in the lower threat levels, however further testing is needed to understand the differences in the higher threat levels.