Reaffirming Ballistic Gelatin as the Gold Standard in Simulating Human Soft Tissue: A Call for Standardized Laboratory Practice

Abstract

Ballistic gelatin has long served as the gold standard for simulating human soft tissue in ballistic and injury biomechanics studies. Despite the development of synthetic or composite alternatives, gelatin remains the most accurate, accessible and empirically validated medium for evaluating soft tissue response to dynamic loading, including bullet penetration. Based on experimental and numerical studies, this opinion piece advocates for continued use of ballistic gelatin, provided that modern laboratory conditions ensure precise preparation, temperature control and concentration standardization. Drawing comparisons between artificial gels such as agarose, collagen and perma-gel™, this paper highlights the necessity of aligning mechanical and rheological properties with biological tissues. Ultimately, the realistic simulation of tissue response demands both material fidelity and methodological rigor.

Keywords: Ballistic gelatin; Soft tissue simulant; Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA); Agarose gel; Brain tissue modeling; Strain rate sensitivity