Experimental and numerical investigation of connector with elastomer joint

This paper presents works associated with the design, experimental tests and numerical analyses of a composite connector, which is a part responsible for increasing the safety of the soldiers. Nowadays researchers more and more often are searching for modern materials, which, as individual components or structures connected with other materials, meet the requirements of global markets. One of the most important branches of industry, which presently is growing increasingly are high technologies accompanying the safety of soldiers who are the passengers of a military vehicle. The proposed solution allows protection of the sensitive parts of body (e.g. legs), as well as the entire body of a soldier from the risks resulting from the impact of a pressure wave coming from explosion on the vehicle in which the soldier travels. A combination of classic materials, such as steel, and modern materials with hyperelastic characteristics might be an alternative to the currently used shock absorbers and dampers. Perspective can be using this assembly as a connector between a seat and the military vehicle body or special plates for protecting the crew’s feet resting on the floor of the vehicle during explosion of a mine or IED. The analysis is conducted using the LS-DYNA explicit code.