Experimental study on evaluating the damage power of low kinetic energy fragile bullets

MEI Zongshu; LU Changbing; QIN Liang; CHAI Mingming; CHEN Peng; CHEN Yankun

doi:10.11883/bzycj-2025-0419

Article Contents

Article Navigation > Explosion And Shock Waves > 2026 > Accepted Manuscript

MEI Zongshu, LU Changbing, QIN Liang, CHAI Mingming, CHEN Peng, CHEN Yankun. Experimental study on evaluating the damage power of low kinetic energy fragile bullets[J]. Explosion And Shock Waves. doi: 10.11883/bzycj-2025-0419

Citation:

MEI Zongshu, LU Changbing, QIN Liang, CHAI Mingming, CHEN Peng, CHEN Yankun. Experimental study on evaluating the damage power of low kinetic energy fragile bullets[J]. Explosion And Shock Waves. doi: 10.11883/bzycj-2025-0419

Citation:

PDF( 12029 KB)

Experimental study on evaluating the damage power of low kinetic energy fragile bullets

doi: 10.11883/bzycj-2025-0419

1.
State Key Laboratory of Chemistry for NBC Hazards Protection, Beijing 102205, China
2.
PLA Unit 93147, Mianyang 621000, Sichuan, China

Received Date: 2025-12-26
Rev Recd Date: 2026-04-17

Available Online: 2026-06-15

Abstract

Abstract

Addressing the high probability of injury and fatality associated with traditionalanti-riot kinetic energy projectiles represented by rubber bullets, a novel low-kinetic-energy frangible projectile with the characteristics of reliable shell fragmentation and the energy release of powder dispersion was designed based on the existing launch platforms of non-lethal weapons, aimed to improve the application safety of anti-riot kinetic energy projectiles. Through shooting tests on anthropomorphic dummy targets and ballistic gelatin targets, the dynamic impact responses of the two targets under the blunt impacts of frangible projectiles were obtained. In the dummy target tests, the frangible projectile achieved reliable fragmentation and exhibited a significant kinetic energy slow-release effect; the calculated injury assessment indicators for different parts of the dummy were all within the safety threshold. Comparative analyses with the blunt impact test results of rubber bullets show that this type of frangible projectile has significantly higher safety than rubber bullets while maintaining effective pain-inducing performance. In the ballistic gelatin target shooting tests, under the same projectile mass and impact velocity, the peak pressure generated in the gelatin measured by the internal sensor differed by approximately one order of magnitude between the frangible projectile and the rubber bullet. The test results show that the novel low-kinetic-energy frangible projectile can effectively attenuate the peak impact pressure of the projectile and greatly reduce its injury potential through the fragmentation of the projectile shell and the dispersion of the powder filled inside the projectile, which provides technical support for improving the application safety of anti-riot kinetic energy ammunition.
- frangible projectile,
- injury potential,
- anthropomorphic dummy target,
- dynamic response,
- fragmentation and energy release

FullText(HTML)

References(16)

References

[1]	战仁军, 汪送, 马永忠. 非致命武器装备[M]. 北京: 国防工业出版社, 2017. ZHAN R J, WANG S, MA Y Z. Non-lethal Weapons [M]. Beijing: National Defense Industry Press, 2017.
[2]	OLSON K A, HASELDEN L E, ZAUNBRECHER R D, et al. Penetrating injuries from “less lethal” beanbag munitions [J]. The New England Journal of Medicine, 2020, 383(11): 1081–1083. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMc2025923.
[3]	ANDREI A, ROBBE C, PAPY A, et al. Literature review of case reports regarding NLW thoracic impacts [J]. Human Factors and Mechanical Engineering for Defense and Safety, 2023, 7(1): 4. DOI: 10.1007/s41314-023-00062-7.
[4]	SCHALET G, DAVIS B, GOMEZ M, et al. Acute cardiac tamponade secondary to nonpenetrating injury from gunshot with beanbag round: a case report and literature review [J]. Trauma Case Reports, 2022, 42: 100733. DOI: 10.1016/j.tcr.2022.100733.
[5]	HAAR R J, IACOPINO V, RANADIVE N, et al. Health impacts of chemical irritants used for crowd control: a systematic review of the injuries and deaths caused by tear gas and pepper spray [J]. BMC Public Health, 2017, 17(1): 831. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-017-4814-6.
[6]	SCHENCK C S, LOKESHWAR S D, RIEDEL M D, et al. Penetrating deep pelvic injury due to “less-lethal” beanbag munitions: a case report and policy implications [J]. Trauma Surgery & Acute Care Open, 2021, 6(1): e000754. DOI: 10.1136/tsaco-2021-000754.
[7]	PEARL R C, TORBATI S, GEIDERMAN J M. Kinetic projectile injuries treated during civil protests in Los Angeles: a case series [J]. Clinical Practice and Cases in Emergency Medicine, 2021, 5(4): 385–389. DOI: 10.5811/cpcem.2021.7.52885.
[8]	SELIM M S, EL-SAFTY S A, SHENASHEN M A, et al. Advances in polymer/inorganic nanocomposite fabrics for lightweight and high-strength armor and ballistic-proof materials [J]. Chemical Engineering Journal, 2024, 493: 152422. DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2024.152422.
[9]	荣吉利, 葛迅, 李健, 等. 不同弹头形式的易碎弹冲击航空有机玻璃的数值分析 [J]. 振动与冲击, 2015, 34(1): 200–205. DOI: 10.13465/j.cnki.jvs.2015.01.035. RONG J L, GE X, LI J, et al. Numerical analysis on fragile projectile with different warheads impacting against aviation organic glass [J]. Journal of Vibration and Shock, 2015, 34(1): 200–205. DOI: 10.13465/j.cnki.jvs.2015.01.035.
[10]	覃彬, 王建民, 熊漫漫, 等. 非致命动能弹对目标作用的钝击水波效应与致伤机制研究 [J]. 北京理工大学学报, 2017, 37(s2): 132–136. QIN B, WANG J M, XIONG M M, et al. Research on water wave effect and injury mechanics for kinetic less-lethal bullet impacting target [J]. Transactions of Beijing Institute of Technology, 2017, 37(s2): 132–136.
[11]	罗棕木, 李克, 陈浩, 等. 爆炸冲击波作用下假人头部加速度响应测试与损伤分析 [J]. 爆炸与冲击, 2024, 44(12): 121435. DOI: 10.11883/bzycj-2024-0242. LUO Z M, LI K, CHEN H, et al. Acceleration response test and damage analysis of dummy head under explosion shock wave [J]. Explosion and Shock Waves, 2024, 44(12): 121435. DOI: 10.11883/bzycj-2024-0242.
[12]	汪送, 战仁军, 段雄义. 橡皮弹胸部钝击损伤的有限元法评估 [J]. 系统仿真学报, 2020, 32(9): 1762–1770. DOI: 10.16182/j.issn1004731x.joss.19-0119. WANG S, ZHAN R J, DUAN X Y. Finite element method evaluation on chest blunt injury by rubber projectile [J]. Journal of System Simulation, 2020, 32(9): 1762–1770. DOI: 10.16182/j.issn1004731x.joss.19-0119.
[13]	VIANO D C. Biomechanics of head injury-toward a theory linking head dynamic motion, brain tissue deformation and neural trauma[R]. SAE Technical Paper, 1988.
[14]	VERSACE J. A review of the severity index[C]//Proceedings of 15th Stapp Car Crash Conference. San Diego: Society of Automotive Engineers, 1971: 771−796. DOI: 10.4271/710881.
[15]	于小牧, 汪送. 非致命动能弹头部冲击响应分析 [J]. 兵器装备工程学报, 2022, 43(4): 67–73. DOI: 10.11809/bqzbgcxb2022.04.012. YU X M, WANG S. Head impact response analysis of non-lethal kinetic energy projectiles [J]. Journal of Ordnance Equipment Engineering, 2022, 43(4): 67–73. DOI: 10.11809/bqzbgcxb2022.04.012.
[16]	HAN D, PARK M, CHOI J, et al. Assessment of pain onset and maximum bearable pain thresholds in physical contact situations [J]. PLOS ONE, 2022, 17(5): e0268057. DOI: 10.3390/s22082996.