The protection of vehicle occupants against landmines is a systems problem which must consider multiple failure paths that can lead to occupant injuries. The response of a vehicle to underbelly blast from a landmine can be divided into three categories: 1) hull response to an immediate external blast load; 2) internal vehicle dynamics; and 3) global vehicle motions. Vehicle survivability is a broad and complex topic which is discussed in these terms and examples of protective subsystem elements are included. This paper argues that decomposing a complex blast protection system into its components from a systems point of view should contribute to the enhanced survivability of vehicle occupants.
StiffP., Taming the Landmine, Galago Publishing, Republic of South Africa, 1986.
3.
RamasamyA.HillA.M.HepperA.E.BullA.M.J. and ClasperJ.C., Blast Mines: Physics, Injury Mechanisms and Vehicle Protection, JR Army Med Corps, 2009, 155, 258–264.
4.
VerhoevenT.A.LeerdamP.J.C. (Piet-Jan) and Van der HorstM.J. (Marike), Occupant Safety in Vehicle Mine Protection, in: Combat Survivability of Air, Sea and Land Vehicles, NATO RTO AVT Symposium AVT-087/RSY-012, Aalborg, Denmark, 23–26 September 2002, NATO RTO-MP-090, 2002, 20-1-20-18.
5.
SchneckW.C., The Development of Mine Resistant Vehicles, in: Proceedings of the Fifth Annual TACOM Combat Vehicle Survivability Symposium (vol. 1), 1–3 March 1994, 1994.
6.
NATO Research & Technology Organisation, Test Methodology for Protection of Vehicle Occupants against Anti-Vehicular Landmine Effects, RTO Technical Report, Final Report of TR-HFM-090 Task Group 25, April 2007.
7.
Allied Engineering Publication AEP-55, Vol. 2, Procedures for Evaluation the Protection Level for Logistics and Light Armoured Vehicles, May 2006.
8.
SternbergH.M. and HurwitzH., Calculated Spherical Shock Waves Produced by Condensed Explosives in Air and Water, in: Proc. 6th Symp. (Int) on Detonation, ACR-221, Office of Naval Research, Arlington VA, NSWC, White Oak, 1976, 528–539.
9.
FairlieG. and BergeronD., Numerical Simulation of Mine Blast Loading on Structures, in: 17th International Symposium on Military Aspects of Blast and Shock, Las Vegas, NV, 10–14 June 2002.
10.
EhrgottJ.Q.Jnr, Tactical Wheeled Vehicle Survivability: Results of Experiments to Quantify Above Ground Impulse, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Centre Report ERDC/GSL TR-10-7, March 2010.
11.
FourneyW.L.LeisteU.BonenbergerR. and GoodingsD.J., Mechanism of Loading on Plates Due to Explosive Detonation, Fragblast: International Journal for Blasting and Fragmentation, 2005, 9(4), 205–217.
12.
ZongZ.LamK.Y. and GanT., Limiting Performance Analysis of Underwater Shock Isolation of a System with Biodynamic Response Using Genetic Algorithm, Shock & Vibration, 2000, 7, 321–332.
13.
ShenderB.S. and PaskoffG., Overview of the NAVAIR Spinal Injury Mitigation Program, in: Proc. 43 SAFE Assoc. Symp., Salt Lake City, UT, Oct 2005.
14.
HuJ., Neck Injury Mechanism in Rollover Crashes – A Systematic Approach for Improving Rollover Neck Protection, Ph.D. Thesis, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 2007.
15.
AndersonC.E.BehnerT.Jr and WeissC.E., Mine Blast Loading Experiments, Int. J. Impact Engng, 2011, 38, 697–706.
16.
YuenChung Kim S.LangdonG.S.NurickG.N.PickeringE.G. and BaldenV.H., Response of V-shape Plates to Localised Blast Load: Experiments and Numerical Simulation, Int. J. Impact Engng, 2012, 46, 97–109.
17.
MontoyaD. and BornsteinH., Geometric Effects of Hull Shapes on Blast Mitigation for Armoured Vehicles, in: Land Warfare Conference, Melbourne, 29 October – 2 November 2012, 355–364.
18.
PickerdV.BucklandM.McCarthyP. and YiannakopoulosG., Use of 3D Image Correlation for Assessment of Damage to Mild Steel Containers Subjected to Internal Blast Loading and Fragmentation Events, in: 22nd International Symposium on Military Aspects of Blast and Shock, Bourges, France, 4–9 November 2012.
19.
BornsteinH.PhillipsP. and AndersonC., Evaluation of the Blast Mitigating Effects of Fluid Containers, Int. J. Impact Engng, 2015, 75, 222–228.
20.
WangJ. and BirdR., Improved Seating to Protect Occupants of Vehicles from Landmines, in: Land Warfare Conference, Sydney, November 2001, 507–516.
21.
SaundersL.WangJ.SlaterD. and VandenBerg J., Visco-Elastic Polyurethane Foam as an Injury Mitigation Device in Military Aircraft Seating, J. Battlefield Technology, 2012, 15, 11–18.
22.
WangJ.BirdR.SwintonR. and KrsticA., Protection of Lower Limbs against Floor Impact in Army Vehicles Experiencing Landmine Explosion, J. Battlefield Technology, 2001, 4, 8–12.
23.
GolanG.AsafZ.RanE. and AizikF., Occupant Legs Survivability: An Assessment Through the Utilization of Field Blast Test Methodology, in: 22nd International Symposium on Military Aspects of Blast and Shock, Bourges, France, 4–9 November 2012.
24.
Proanalyst® 3D Professional Edition Software, Xcitec Inc., 25 First St, Suite 105, Cambridge, MA 02141, U.S.
25.
Accidental Injury Biomechanics and Prevention, 2nd edn, eds NahumA.M. and MelvinJ.W., Springer Verlag, New York, 2002, 332.
