Miracle material that saves troops' lives

Tag : Material Testing System
PRIVATE David Poderis's helmet will now be sent back to the UK forextensive military testing before being put on display at the TAcentre in Dumbarton.

This particular incident proves the Kevlar helmet is effective, andspecialist teams will want to know why.

The helmet acquired its name because the shell is made from 19layers of Kevlar, a ballistic fabric treated with a phenolic resinsystem first commercially used in the early 1970s as a replacementfor steel in racing tyres.

The fabric has been regarded as one of the most significantachievements in the development of body armour.

It was tested in four phases over several years. The programmeincluded tests to see whether it could stop a lead bullet.

In the last phase of testing, the material was improved to ensureits final form was waterproof and sunlight-proof. It had been foundto allow bullets through after exposure to rain and UV light.