ASTM E3107/E3107M-23

This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation: E3107/E3107M − 23
Standard Test Method for
Resistance to Penetration and Backface Deformation for
Ballistic-resistant Torso Body Armor and Shoot Packs
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E3107/E3107M; 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.
1. Scope 1.6.1 The user of this standard will identify the system of
units to be used, and it is critical to ensure that any cross-
1.1 This test method addresses resistance to ballistic pen-
referenced standards maintain consistency of units between
etration and to backface deformation (BFD) for ballistic-
standards.
resistant torso body armor and shoot packs.
1.7 This standard does not purport to address all of the
1.2 This test method is intended for testing of soft body
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
armor, hard armor plates, in conjunction with armor, and shoot
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
packs mounted on a clay block as the backing assembly.
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter-
NOTE 1—This test method does not apply to ballistic helmets, inserts, mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
trauma packs, trauma plates, or accessories.
1.8 This international standard was developed in accor-
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
1.3 The test method does not specify performance criteria or
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
usage of the test results.
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
1.4 This test method does not address conditioning of test
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
items.
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
1.5 It is anticipated that this test method will be referenced
by certifiers, purchasers, or other users in order to meet their
2. Referenced Documents
specific needs.
2.1 ASTM Standards:
1.5.1 Purchasers and other users will specify the ballistic
E3004 Specification for Preparation and Verification of Clay
test threats to be used. Within this test method, the reference
Blocks Used in Ballistic-Resistance Testing of Torso Body
defining the ballistic test threats is called the “test threats
Armor
document.”
E3005 Terminology for Body Armor
1.5.2 In this test method, “other standards and specifica-
E3062/E3062M Specification for Indoor Ballistic Test
tions” and “unless specified elsewhere” refer to documents (for
Ranges for Small Arms and Fragmentation Testing of
example, military standards, purchase specifications) that re-
Ballistic-resistant Items
quire the use of this test method. Purchasers and other users are
E3068 Test Method for Contact Measurement of Backface
responsible for the “other standards and specifications” and for
Deformation in Clay Backing During Body Armor Testing
specifying any requirements that supersede those of this test
2.2 ISO Standard:
method.
ISO/IEC 17025:2005 General Requirements for the Compe-
1.6 Units—The values stated in either SI units or inch-
tence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories
pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The
2.3 NIJ Standard:
values stated in each system are not necessarily exact equiva-
NIJ Standard-0101.06 Ballistic Resistance of Body Armor
lents; therefore, to ensure conformance with the standard, each
system shall be used independently of the other, and values
from the two systems shall not be combined.
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E54 on the ASTM website.
Homeland Security Applications and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee Available from International Organization for Standardization (ISO), ISO
E54.04 on Public Safety Equipment. Central Secretariat, BIBC II, Chemin de Blandonnet 8, CP 401, 1214 Vernier,
Current edition approved May 1, 2023. Published June 2023. Originally Geneva, Switzerland, http://www.iso.org.
approved in 2017. Last previous edition approved in 2022 as E3107/E3107M – 22. Available from National Institute of Justice (NIJ), 810 7th St., NW, Washington,
DOI: 10.1520/E3107_E3107M-23. DC 20531, http://nij.gov.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
E3107/E3107M − 23
3. Terminology 7. Hazards
7.1 The ballistic tests described in this test method have
3.1 For terms not defined in this test method, the following
inherent hazards. Adequate safeguards for personnel and prop-
definitions of Terminology E3005 apply: accessories, angle of
erty shall be employed when conducting these tests.
incidence, applique, backface deformation, backing assembly,
backing material, backing fixture, body armor, complete
8. Sampling and Test Items
penetration, fair hit, hard armor, in conjunction with armor,
obliquity, partial penetration, plate, shoot pack, shot-to-edge
8.1 The test items shall be individual soft armor panels, hard
distance, shot-to-shot distance, soft body armor, stop, strike
armor plates, in conjunction with systems, or shoot packs.
face, striking device, test item, test series, unfair hit, warmer
8.2 Test item details, including quantity, size, and
round, witness panel, and yaw.
conditioning, shall be specified in other standards and specifi-
cations.
4. Summary of Test Method
NOTE 2—It is recommended that spare test items be provided.
4.1 This test method specifies the methods for assessing
8.3 When the use of a spare test item is required, details
penetration resistance and backface deformation for ballistic-
about selecting the appropriate spare item shall be specified in
resistant torso soft body armor, hard armor plates, in conjunc-
other standards and specifications.
tion with armor, and shoot packs.
4.2 Individual test items are subjected to ballistic tests with
9. Test Requirements
specified test threats. The type and velocity of the test threats
9.1 The intended angle of incidence, obliquity, or other shot
are specified in a test threats document, and the number of
direction details, if any, for all shots shall be specified in other
shots and shot pattern are specified in other standards or
standards and specifications.
specifications, or both.
NOTE 3—Typical angles of incidence are 0°, 30°, and 45°, with most
testing at an angle of incidence of 0°.
5. Significance and Use
9.2 When warmer rounds are necessary, a number of test
5.1 U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Department of
threats shall be fired through the projectile firing system.
Justice standards and specifications require assessing the pen-
NOTE 4—Examples of when warmer rounds may be necessary include,
etration resistance and backface deformation of ballistic-
but are not limited to, at the start of a new day of testing and upon
resistant body armor.
reconfiguration of the test range.
5.2 This test method may be used by private-sector and
9.3 Unless specified elsewhere, each ballistic impact shall
government laboratories, manufacturers, research and develop-
meet the requirements listed below to be considered a fair hit.
ment organizations, and others assessing the ballistic resistance
See Annex A1 for flowchart showing the decision logic for
of body armor or performing research and development of new
determination of fair hit.
materials.
9.3.1 The test threat shall impact the test item at an angle of
incidence or obliquity within 5° from the intended angle.
5.3 It is intended that this test method be referenced by other
9.3.2 The test threat shall have yaw verified using a yaw
standards, specifications, or test methods.
card, flash radiography, high speed video, or photography. Yaw
shall be checked for every test threat shot and shall be ≤3° for
6. Test Equipment and Apparatus
rifle threats or ≤5° for fragment and handgun threats.
6.1 Test threats shall be specified in a separate test threats
9.3.2.1 The yaw measurement equipment shall be posi-
document.
tioned perpendicular to the projectile line of flight. The yaw
measurement equipment shall be securely mounted and an-
6.2 The ballistic test range shall meet the requirements of
chored to maintain its required position and alignment.
Specification E3062/E3062M.
9.3.2.2 When photographic means are used to assess the
6.3 The method of measuring yaw may be with a yaw card,
projectile yaw angle, the assessment shall be made as close as
flash radiography, high speed video, or photography and shall
practical to the strike face of the test item but not more than
be capable of determining, at the point of measurement,
305 mm [12 in.] from the front of the strike face.
whether the angle of yaw was greater or less than 5°.
9.3.2.3 When yaw cards are used to assess the projectile
yaw angle, unless specified elsewhere, the cards shall be
6.4 Clay blocks shall be used as backing assemblies behind
positioned between 91 cm and 152 cm [3 ft to 5 ft] from the
test items and shall meet the requirements of Specification
front of the strike face of the test item.
E3004.
9.3.3 The test threat shall impact the test item no closer to
6.5 Measurement of BFD may be performed using contact
the edge of the test item than the minimum shot-to-edge
or non-contact measurement instruments, and other standards
distance. The measurement for shot-to-edge distance shall be
and specifications will specify which method to use.
taken from the center of the projectile impact to the nearest
6.5.1 When the contact method for BFD measurement is edge of the ballistic material in the test item. When not
used, the equipment shall be as specified in Test Method specified elsewhere, the minimum shot-to-edge distance shall
E3068. be 51 mm [2 in.].
E3107/E3107M − 23
NOTE 5—Procedures for determining the edge of the test item should be
9.3.10 Details for specifying a shot outcome as a complete
specified in other standards or specifications.
penetration or a partial penetration shall be specified in other
9.3.4 For intended edge shots, the test threat shall impact the
standards and specifications.
test item no further from the edge than the maximum shot-to-
edge distance.
10. Mounting and Positioning of Soft Armor Test Items
9.3.5 The test threat shall impact the test item no closer to a
on a Clay Block
prior impact than the minimum shot-to-shot distance. The
10.1 The testing of nonplanar soft armor test items intended
measurement for shot-to-shot distance shall be taken from the
for females requires the use of appliques that are specified in
center of one projectile impact to the center of another. When
other standards and specifications.
the minimum shot-to-shot distance is not specified, the mini-
mum shot-to-shot distance shall be 51 mm [2 in.].
NOTE 7—Appliques that may be needed for testing nonplanar soft
armor test items are specified in other standards and specifications. Testing
NOTE 6—When assessing whether a particular impact location meets
of planar soft armor test items does not require the use of appliques.
the minimum shot-to-shot distance requirements, the shot-to-shot dis-
tances should be measured from that impact location to all prior impact
10.2 The test item shall be positioned on a clay block such
locations.
that the entire test item is supported. When the test item
9.3.6 For grouped shots, the test threat impacts shall be
exceeds the size of the clay block, install backing fixture
within the specified spacing or pattern.
extensions coplanar with the backing material surface to allow
9.3.7 The test threat shall impact the clay block no closer
the test item to be fully supported.
than 106 mm [4.2 in.] from the inside edge of the clay block
10.3 The test item, and its applique(s) for nonplanar test
frame.
items, shall be held in contact with the clay block and secured
9.3.8 The test threat velocity shall conform to the require-
ments given in the test threats document. If no specification is using approximately 50 mm [2.0 in.] wide elastic straps, held
closed by hook-and-loop fasteners. Unless specified elsewhere,
given, the test threat velocity shall be within 69.1 m ⁄s
[630 ft ⁄s] of the required velocity. two vertical and three horizontal straps shall be positioned such
9.3.9 The velocity difference requirements of Specification that they do not interfere with the impact points on the test
E3062/E3062M shall apply. item. Fig. 1 shows examples of strapping arrangements.
FIG. 1 Examples of Strapping Arrangements
E3107/E3107M − 23
10.4 The clay block shall be positioned to achieve proper 11.2.5 Fig. 2 shows example shot locations and patterns.
bullet impact location and angle (for example, angle of Placement of shots is not restricted to locations shown in Fig.
incidence, obliquity) of the test threat. For any shots requiring 2.
a nonzero angle of incidence, the clay block shall be rotated to 11.2.5.1 Fig. 2a and Fig. 2b are for a test item too small to
achieve the appropriate angle.
allow all shots on one test item. Fig. 2a shows example
locations for shots 1, 2, and 3 on one test item, and Fig. 2b
10.5 Between test threat impacts, the test item shall be
shows locations for shots 4, 5, 6, and 7 on another test item.
manipulated by hand so that any wrinkles or bunching in the
11.2.5.2 Fig. 2c is for a test item having sufficient area to fit
test item (caused by a previous shot) are smoothed out. No
all 7 shots.
effort shall be made to recover any bullets trapped in the test
11.2.6 Shots 1, 2, 3, and 6 shall be taken at 0° angle of
item until the test series is complete.
incidence.
NOTE 8—Manipulation of a bullet is allowed if the bullet will interfere
11.2.6.1 Shots 4 and 5 shall be taken at 30° and 45° angle of
with subsequent shots. The test item may be removed if necessary to
incidence, with the angular rotation of the backing assembly in
smooth it out.
the same direction for both shots on an individual test item.
10.5.1 The test item shall be repositioned on the backing (1) The order of angles shall be alternated between test
material such that the test item is supported by smooth backing items. For example, on the first test item, if shot 4 is taken at
material for a distance of no less than 76 mm [3.0
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