Protective gear is essential for keeping law enforcement members, military personnel, and security teams safe in intense and unpredictable conditions. While the popular focus tends to be on protecting against the most obvious threats—stabbings and ballistic injuries—less lethal threats caused by non-penetrative impacts pose a different challenge.

Blunt force trauma (BFT) can result from impacts from batons, rubber bullets and other projectiles that may be used in contentious, crowd-focused scenarios. While they may not cause penetrative wounds, blunt force injuries can still lead to significant tissue and bone damage, as well as internal injuries that can pose the risk of lethality. To ensure that riot gear and other protective equipment can withstand such risks, rigorous blunt trauma testing is essential.

At Biokinetics, we understand the importance of reliable blunt-force trauma testing when it comes to preventing human injuries and improving existing standards. Below, we’ll explore the science behind BFT and how Biokinetics is helping to improve the safety and effectiveness of protective gear. Read on to learn more!

What is Blunt Trauma Testing?

Blunt trauma occurs when a non-penetrating object collides with the body and transfers kinetic energy into soft tissues. Unlike ballistic threats, which involve high-velocity penetration, blunt trauma results from the force of impact itself, which can cause extensive damage even if body armour remains unpierced. The risk of incurring BFT is particularly high in scenarios where less-lethal weapons are more likely to be utilized, such as events that require crowd control measures.

Riot gear, including helmets, armour, and shields, must absorb kinetic energy from strikes and projectiles to protect the user from serious injury. Effective blunt trauma testing ensures that protective equipment can withstand repeated impacts without compromising the safety of the person wearing it by measuring key metrics such as:

• Energy absorption
• Backface deformation (degree to which material bends or bulges)
• Structural integrity
• Fit and coverage and more.

Components of Blunt Trauma Testing

Modern blunt trauma testing relies on specialized equipment and techniques to accurately recreate real-world impact scenarios. Effective testing must simulate the forces experienced in the field, allowing manufacturers to identify material weaknesses and improve existing designs for increased durability and performance. Commonly used tools include:

1. Drop Towers and Impact Machines

Drop towers and impact machines simulate the force of an object striking protective gear like helmets or armour at high speed. A weight or projectile is dropped or fired at the test sample under controlled conditions to measure energy transfer and the material’s response to the impact by assessing the velocity and angle of impact, the force transferred, and determining how effective the unit is at dispersing energy.

2. Pressure and Force Sensors

Advanced pressure and force sensors are integrated into standard testing setups to capture real-time data during an impact event. These sensors measure how much force is transferred to the protective material and how effectively it reduces the impact energy against set benchmarks.

3. High-Speed Cameras

High-speed cameras capture the precise moment of impact, recording thousands of frames per second. This allows testers to analyze the behaviour of both the projectile and the protective material in slow motion effectively. Cameras can help highlight how materials react to stress and deformation, identify failure points or weak spots, and improve material design and layering.

4. Human Surrogate Models

Dummies or other surrogates that mimic the density and resistance of body tissue are crucial for better understanding how impact forces affect the human body. This helps measure the level of injury risk, evaluate the protective coverage of the ear, and enable manufacturers to refine as needed.

Blunt trauma testing enhances the effectiveness of protective gear by improving material design, coverage, durability, and impact resistance. It ensures that gear effectively absorbs force, maintains mobility, withstands repeated impacts, and provides reliable protection in high-risk environments when performance matters most.

The Role of Biokinetics in Advancing Blunt Trauma Testing

Biokinetics has been at the forefront of protective gear testing for nearly 50 years. We are proud to use our decades of experience to help drive safety forward and act as a trusted partner for manufacturers seeking to improve the safety and performance of their products.

Our testing facilities are equipped with state-of-the-art drop towers, high-speed cameras, and pressure sensors, allowing for highly detailed and accurate data collection that you can trust. We can also design custom testing protocols based on the specific needs of military, law enforcement, and security applications.

Through ongoing research and development, Biokinetics continues to push the boundaries of protective gear performance, ensuring that individuals working in high-risk environments have the best possible protection against blunt trauma.

Learn more by contacting our team today!