An estimation of the physical characteristics of wounds inflicted by spherical fragments
Fu, R.X.; Ma, Y.Y.; Feng, T.S.; Li, M.
Journal of Trauma 28(1 Suppl): S85-S88
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0022-5282 PMID: 3339706 Document Number: 309595
Based on test results of projecting four different types of spherical fragments, diameters of which were 3.175 mm, 4.763 mm, 5.56 mm, and 6.35 mm, respectively, into the biological soft tissues and the soap blocks used as simulants, an estimation of the physical characteristics of wounds inflicted by spherical fragments was established in this paper. With impact velocities in the range of 450-1,500 m/s, all four types of spherical fragments showed little variation in drag coefficients for each medium. Some specific wound characteristics such as amount of debrided tissue, volume of the wound channel, etc., can be predicted as functions of energy transfer for spherical fragments of less than 1 gram.