Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) scholar Juliet Swinea and her SMART mentor, Pete Stynoski PhD, both individually accomplished researchers, have joined forces through the SMART Program to revolutionize the US Department of Defense (DoD) ballistic design standards. Sources: DVIDS, Timberbiz
The pair is being acknowledged for their ground-breaking research and collaboration evaluating the properties of western hemlock cross-laminated timber (CLT), a potential alternate construction material.
Together, Swinea and Stynoski assessed the performance of CLT and its resilience against ballistic impacts. CLT is a sustainable type of wood that could be very useful for making temporary housing quickly during military operations and disaster response.
“Ms. Swinea’s research on the fundamental behaviour and properties of CLT is contributing directly to the widespread use of this new class of construction materials in the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the DoD, advancing our force protection mission,” said David W. Pittman, PhD, senior executive service director of the US Army Engineer and Research Development Centre (ERDC).
The pair’s research has been published in the International Journal of Impact Engineering and a Ecoengineering and Construction Bulletin, which disseminates critical information about emerging construction practices to USACE engineers. Additionally, Swinea presented their research at the 6th International Conference on Protective Structures, an international platform for discussing the integration of sustainable materials into DoD construction.
Currently, they are drafting a Criteria Change Request (CCR) along with partners at Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory and USACE Protective Design Centre.
In the military, a CCR is a formal process where individuals propose modifications or updates to existing DoD standards, guidelines, or criteria that govern various aspects of military operations, equipment procedures, or policies. The current standard for wood ballistic design equations date back to 1966.
Swinea and Stynoski began evaluating whether the current standards were valid for wood composites like CLT, which is a relatively new building material with limited experimental data. They discovered that the existing methods for measuring wood properties didn’t fully account for how well CLT absorbs energy or handles fractures. The CCR rectifies and modernizes the official guidance communicated by the DoD-wide standard.
