ASTM E3005-15
(Terminology)Standard Terminology for Body Armor
Standard Terminology for Body Armor
SCOPE
1.1 The scope of this terminology is to provide a standard terminology for body armor providing protection against ballistic threats, stabbing, fragmentation, blunt impact, or a combination of threats.
1.2 The intent of this terminology is to have terms, abbreviations, and formulas that are applicable across federal agencies, law enforcement and corrections agencies, testing and certification bodies, and manufacturers.
1.2.1 The terminology is kept general herein and should be defined more specifically as needed within individual test methods or other standards.
1.3 This terminology is not intended to describe test methods or performance requirements for body armor.
General Information
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Standards Content (Sample)
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Designation: E3005 − 15
Standard Terminology for
1
Body Armor
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E3005; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
DISCUSSION—Accessories are typically attachments to tactical body
1. Scope
armor providing protection to areas not covered by the vest, such as the
1.1 The scope of this terminology is to provide a standard
shoulders, upper arms, neck, sides, pelvis, and groin. See tactical body
terminology for body armor providing protection against
armor. See vest.
ballistic threats, stabbing, fragmentation, blunt impact, or a
ammunition, n—one or more loaded cartridges consisting of
combination of threats.
case, primer, propellant, and one or more projectiles.
1.2 The intent of this terminology is to have terms,
angle of incidence, n—the angle between the test threat line of
abbreviations, and formulas that are applicable across federal
aim and the line normal to a reference plane based on the
agencies, law enforcement and corrections agencies, testing
front surface of the backing assembly. (Adapted from NIJ
and certification bodies, and manufacturers.
0101.06). See also obliquity.
1.2.1 The terminology is kept general herein and should be
DISCUSSION—Some standards have used the terms angle of incidence
defined more specifically as needed within individual test
and obliquity as synonyms, but in this standard, they are defined
methods or other standards.
differently. Fig. 1 provides examples to aid in visualizing the difference
1.3 This terminology is not intended to describe test meth- between angle of incidence and obliquity.
ods or performance requirements for body armor.
areal density, n—a measure of the mass of the armor panel per
unit area, usually expressed in kilograms per square meter
2. Referenced Documents
2 2
(kg/m ) or pound-mass per square foot (lbm/ft ).
2
2.1 DOD Standard:
armor carrier, n—See carrier.
MIL-STD-3027 Method Standard for Performance Require-
ments and Testing of Body Armor
armor panel,n—acomponentofsoftbodyarmorconsistingof
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protective materials, typically enclosed in a panel cover. See
2.2 NIJ Standard:
ballistic panel, blunt impact panel, stab panel. See also
NIJ Standard-0101.06 Ballistic Resistance of Body Armor
panel cover.
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2.3 SAAMI Standard:
SAAMI Glossary of Industry Terms
backface deformation (BFD), n—the indentation in the back-
ing material caused by a projectile impact on the test item
3. Terminology
during testing. Synonymous with backface signature.
DISCUSSION—Details necessary for making BFD measurements are
accessory, n—a body armor component that is detachable or
specified in individual test methods.
removable from the body armor and is intended to provide
backface signature, n—See backface deformation.
extendedareaofcoverageprotectionagainstthreatsthatmay
include ballistic threats, stabbing, fragmentation, blunt
backing assembly, n—a backing fixture filled with backing
impact, or a combination of threats.
material. For example, a clay block is a type of a backing
assembly.
1
backing fixture, n—any apparatus designed to hold the back-
This terminology is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E54 on
Homeland Security Applications and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee
ing material(s) for a specific test.
E54.04 on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
Current edition approved Nov. 1, 2015. Published November 2015. DOI:
backing material, n—the substance placed behind the test
10.1520/E3005-15.
item during testing.
2
AvailablefromU.S.GovernmentPrintingOfficeSuperintendentofDocuments,
DISCUSSION—The backing material typically provides support for the
732 N. Capitol St., NW, Mail Stop: SDE, Washington, DC 20401, http://
test item, and it may act as a witness material and may provide a
www.access.gpo.gov.
3 measurable indication of the test item performance.
AvailablefromNationalInstituteofJustice(NIJ),8107thSt.,NW,Washington,
DC 20531, http://nij.gov.
4
ballistic panel, n—a type of armor panel intended to provide
Available from Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute, Inc.,
11 Mile Hill Rd, Newtown, Connecticut, 06470–2539, www.saami.org. ballistic resistance.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
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E3005 − 15
FIG. 1 Examples to Aid in Visualizing the Difference Between Angle of Incidence (Example 1) and Obliquity (Example 2)
DISCUSSION—Concealable body armor is also called concealable
ballistic resistance, n—a characteristic of protective equip-
armor.
...
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