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Experimental investigation of shock wave behaviour in a soft tissue model using a free field shock wave generator
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DOI：10.1016/j.dt.2026.07.014.png)
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Abstract
En 中文
Explosion-related traumatic brain injuries are increasingly recognized as a health risk in a military context. Repetitive low-level blast (LLB) exposure is also of concern, which commonly occurs during training exercises and operational missions using weapon systems or explosives. Although single low-level pressure loads often cause few or no immediate symptoms, repeated exposures are believed to contribute to long-term neurological damage and may increase the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases later in life. Research in LLB exposure, a complex field, is currently a challenge due to limitations of conventional test setups for generating reproducible shock waves. Specifically, reflections within the test setups and subsequent fluid dynamic effects often result in load cases bearing insufficient resemblance to real detonations. This study presents an acetylene-oxygen-driven shock wave generator which produces shock waves with pressure-time characteristics comparable to real military related LLB-events like such as weapon system muzzles or breaching charges. Measurements at 1.0 m from the relief outlet yielded mean peak overpressures of 85 kPa and 450 m/s shock propagation velocity in the air. To investigate the interaction of the shock wave with a soft tissue, a simplified soft tissue model composed of 17 wt% organic gelatin at 15 °C was used. This generic model provided the internal material sound propagation velocity of human soft tissue of 1542.4 m/s. Embedded piezoelectric pressure sensors determined pressure-time profiles that retained good accordance with idealized characteristics of the external shock wave. The results showed expected overpressure and shock propagation velocity increase to 130 kPa and 1690 m/s upon coupling into the organic gelatin, which has a substantially higher impedance. The results demonstrate that the shock wave generator, combined with the organic gelatin based soft tissue model, provides a controlled, scalable, and high reproducible experimental setup for simulating and analyzing LLB exposures. This experimental approach enables systematic investigation of shock wave propagation in soft tissue and provides a basis for studying injury-related mechanical material responses and evaluating protective technologies. Future applications include controlled exposure of biological models, investigations into the influence of personal protective equipment, and development of mitigation strategies against LLB-induced injuries.
Keywords:
low-level blast exposure
Shock wave
Overpressure
Measurement technology
Simulants
Brain health effects
mild Traumatic Brain Injuries(mTBI)
Blast injuries
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