Civil engineer guide to fighting positions, shelters, obstacles

AFH 10-222 Volume 14 1 August 2008 139
Attachment 2
PROTECTIVE MATERIALS
A2.1. Overview. When planning and designing fighting positions, shelters
,and other protective structures, it is important to know the characteristics of
certain materials and how they might be affected by certain weapons. The
following paragraphs describe materials that might be available and how
these materials can be used effectively in the expeditionary environment.
A2.2. Characteristics of Materials. Engineers should be aware that different
types of materials offer different degrees of protection. For protective construction
efforts, certain materials can be used for shielding or as structural
components to hold shielding materials in place.
A2.2.1. Soil. Soil can be an effective shield against direct fire, indirect fire,
blast, or fragmentation effects. Dense soils offer more protection and resistance
to penetration. Coarse-grained soils provide better protection than finegrained
soils with the same density. Dry sandy soil provides better protection
than silt, clay, and silty-clay soils. Saturated soils offer a less degree of resistance
to penetrating projectiles, as illustrated in Figure A2.1. Wet clay is the
most susceptible to ballistic penetration.
Figure A2.1. Soil Resistance to Penetration.