A critical review on the effect of high-velocity ballistic impact loading on the personal armors used by the soldiers

In the field of the defense industry, personal armor is defined as the protective covering designed commonly to withstand a particular type of attack for a soldier. Armors are generally designed to withstand the penetration of a bullet. Behind armor blunt trauma (BABT) is a non-penetrating injury caused by the fast deformation of the body armor. The impact of a bullet or projectile on an armor's front face distorts the surface as it encounters the body. The deformation occurs during the process of capturing the projectile by absorbing its kinetic energy and retarding it. In severe cases, even if the projectile does not penetrate the armor, the BABT can still cause death. As bullet energy increases and armor manufacturers aim to reduce weight, the danger of BABT in military and security personnel rises. BABT results from a combination of pressure waves caused by the rapid movement of the armor's rear and the shear deformation of internal organs due to significant deflection of the body wall. This review assesses the impact of BABT on internal organs and solutions to overcome BABT.