A BLAST FROM THE…FUTURE?

For more than 10 years, Dr. Trabia and his colleagues at UNLV's Center for Materials and Structures (CMS) have been creating systems that can mitigate blasts and also contain shocks due to impact and blasts. This research, supported by the U.S. Army Research Laboratory as well as private industry, focuses on two major areas. First, they are developing a blast containment vessel that is easily transportable and optimized to minimize weight while maximizing strength. This vessel, which incorporates composite material and crushable foam, should be able to withstand the blast and reduce shrapnel. Second, they are researching how to mitigate shocks transmitted to electronic components within a military vehicle by using an internal space frame and composite armor. This research can be extended to the aerospace industry, where a key issue is the effect of projectiles and meteorites on composite structures.

Speaker: Dr. Mohamed Trabie, UNLV