Military Turns to Blast-Mitigating Floor Mat

DEFENSE DEPARTMENT

Military Turns to Blast-Mitigating Floor Mat

11/1/2011
By Eric Beidel

Military officials recently warned soldiers in Afghanistan that they were putting their lives at risk by removing floor mats added to the latest variant of the mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle.

Troops were removing the floor coverings to increase legroom and pack in more equipment, which caused the MRAP joint program office to issue a stern message: Leave the mats where they are.

They are less than 2 inches thick and consist of chemically bonded thermoplastic polyurethane. They are made by Denver-based Skydex Technologies, a company that got its start creating shock-absorbing inserts for Nike running shoes.

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan turned the firm’s attention to the military, said CEO Mike Buchen, and Skydex began making protective products ranging from helmet pads to helicopter seating. Military officials say the Convoy Deck mat helps prevent lower-leg fractures for crews riding in the MRAP and its all-terrain variant, the M-ATV. It also is becoming standard equipment in new Stryker vehicles.

Roadside bomb blasts put vehicle crews through two shockwaves, one that propels the vehicle up into the air and another when it slams back on the ground. Attached to the floor with heavy-duty Velcro, the deck is able to regain its original shape and size within microseconds of the first impact to be ready for the second, Buchen said.

The mat absorbed 71 percent of the energy force that entered a soldier’s tibia during tests, he said, lessening the impact on the knee, pelvis and upper body.

Topics: Bomb and Warhead, Science and Engineering Technology

Comments (0)

Name *

Email *

Comment *

Please enter the text displayed in the image.

Characters *

Legal Notice *

NDIA is not responsible for screening, policing, editing, or monitoring your or another user's postings and encourages all of its users to use reasonable discretion and caution in evaluating or reviewing any posting. Moreover, and except as provided below with respect to NDIA's right and ability to delete or remove a posting (or any part thereof), NDIA does not endorse, oppose, or edit any opinion or information provided by you or another user and does not make any representation with respect to, nor does it endorse the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or reliability of any advice, opinion, statement, or other material displayed, uploaded, or distributed by you or any other user. Nevertheless, NDIA reserves the right to delete or take other action with respect to postings (or parts thereof) that NDIA believes in good faith violate this Legal Notice and/or are potentially harmful or unlawful. If you violate this Legal Notice, NDIA may, in its sole discretion, delete the unacceptable content from your posting, remove or delete the posting in its entirety, issue you a warning, and/or terminate your use of the NDIA site. Moreover, it is a policy of NDIA to take appropriate actions under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and other applicable intellectual property laws. If you become aware of postings that violate these rules regarding acceptable behavior or content, you may contact NDIA at 703.522.1820.

I have read the legal notice.

Military Turns to Blast-Mitigating Floor Mat

Related Articles

Top Five Threats to National Security in the Coming Decade

Researchers Make Progress Spotting Suicide Vests at Standoff Distances

Companies Introduce New Software to Defeat Suicide Bombers

Comments (0)