Numerical Analysis of Immersed Steel & Composite Cylindrical Shell Structures Submitted to UNDEX

Abstract

Underwater Explosion (UNDEX) due to terrorism or accidental incident affects the people and structures causing irreparable loss of life and damage to survivability of the structure. These blast loading due to the explosion is challenging both the civilian and military structures. In order to minimize the effect on the structure, we need to understand the mechanics and the response of the structure submitted to blast loading. After a review of existing methods to simulate the response of a steel and composite structure submitted to dynamic pressure waves, the focus will be on the analysis of naval steel and composite structures when they are submitted to the primary shock wave generated from the underwater explosions. Finite element numerical simulations will be carried out to simulate the dynamic response of a non-stiffened immersed cylindrical shell submitted to such pressure loading. The pressure loading on the structure as a kinetic energy, which is transmitted by the shock wave is calculated from the explosion parameters by using analytical formulation. The assessment of the dynamic response and the fluid structure interaction was performed with explicit finite element solver LS-DYNA. Sensitivity analyses of the response to different parameters like shock factor, treatment of the fluid domain, Anisotropy of material will also be performed