Journal of KONES Powertrain and Transport, Vol. 17, No. 4 2010 EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATIONS OF THE PROTECTIVE SHIELD – PROTECTED PLATE – TEST STAND SYSTEM UNDER BLAST SHOCK WAVE Marian Klasztorny, Tadeusz Niezgoda, Robert Panowicz, Paweá Gotowicki Military University of Technology Department of Mechanics and Applied Computer Science Gen. Kaliskiego Street 2, 00-908 Warsaw, Poland tel.: +48 22 6839941, fax: +48 22 6839355 e-mail: mklasztorny@wat.edu.pl, tniezgoda@wat.edu.pl rpanowicz@wat.edu.pl, pgotowicki@wat.edu.pl Abstract The study presents preliminary experimental range tests of a system for testing protective shields for light armoured vehicles. The shields are designed against HE mines and IEDs up to 10 kg TNT. The system consists of the multiple-use portable range stand, a protected Armox 500T plate and a protective shield. The latter consists of the following main layers: PA11 aluminum, the SCACS hybrid laminate, ALPORAS aluminum foam, and the SCACS hybrid laminate. The layers are connected together with SOUDASEAL chemo-set glue. Overall dimensions of the test stand are ~ 800x800x180 mm, the protected plate has dimensions 650x650x5 mm, and a protective shield is of 450x450x76 mm dimensions. The system rests on a St3 steel plate stiffening the range subsoil. The range stand designed to be resistant up to 10 kg TNT blasts is composed of three appropriately shaped rigid frames connected with six high strength erection bolts. The explosive charge is suspended centrally at 400 mm distance from the top surface of the stand. Two range tests have been performed, i.e.: 1) the protected plate without a protective shield under 2 kg TNT blast shock wave, 2) the protected plate with the protective shield under 2 kg TNT blast shock wave. The effectiveness of the protective shield is assessed via comparing the maximum plastic deflection of the protected plate in both systems. The experimental results have been used to validate the FE model of the system. Keywords: light armoured vehicles, protective shields, multi-layer shields, range tests, validation 1. Introduction The study presents a new system for range testing [1] of protective shields for light armoured vehicles. A new protective shield has been designed by Authors as adequate against HE mines and IEDs up to 10 kg TNT [2]. The study is focussed on preliminary experimental range tests performed for the protected plate – range stand (PS) system and the protective shield – protected plate – range stand (SPS) system, both exposed against 2 kg TNT blast shock waves. The experimental results have been compared to the numerical simulation results presented in Ref. [3]. Recent research concerning protection against blast loading is mainly aimed on developing new concepts of protective shields for various structures and military vehicles [4-6]. The panels are usually designed and manufactured as removable and made from different types of energy- absorbing materials, such as polymer-matrix composites, ceramics, elastomers, and metal foams. Such materials are characterized by high relative energy-absorption capacity. The investigations also concern sandwich protective shields with a core composed of tubular or conical thin-walled elements [7-13]. A review of up-to-date protective shields against HE mines and IEDs presents Barnat in Ref. [14]. Various protective shields designed by Barnat differ from other solutions described in Ref. [2] and in patent applications [15, 16]. The writer presents both experimental tests and numerical simulations of dynamic response of various protective shield – protected plate systems to HE blast shock wave. Barnat performed FE modelling and simulation using MSC.Dytran code.