Accession Number:

ADA446543

Title:

Institute for Non-Lethal Defense Technologies Report: Ballistic Gelatin

Descriptive Note:

Corporate Author:

PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIV UNIVERSITY PARK APPLIED RESEARCH LAB

Personal Author(s):

• Nicholas, N. C.
• Welsch, J. R.

Report Date:

2004-02-01

Pagination or Media Count:

26.0

Abstract:

Ballistic gelatin is designed to simulate living soft tissue. It is the standard for evaluating the effectiveness of firearms against humans because of its convenience and acceptability over animal or cadaver testing. The two issues that remain to be resolved are standards for the preparation of ballistic gelatin and the direct relation of gelatin test results to effectiveness of firearms against humans. These issues are related in the sense that gelatin can in principle be formulated to simulate various types of soft tissue. Although gelatin can simulate the density and viscosity of living human tissue, it lacks the structure of tissue. Gelatin doesnt bleed or have nerves or vessels. In addition, the human anatomy contains organs, muscle, and fat and is supported by a skeleton.

Descriptors:

• *FIRING TESTS(ORDNANCE)
• *GELATINS
• SIMULATION
• SOFT TISSUES
• BALLISTICS

Subject Categories:

• Miscellaneous Materials
• Test Facilities, Equipment and Methods
• Ballistics
• Biochemistry

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE