Small Scale Drop Tower Test for Practice Torpedo Impact Modelling
Abstract
A small scale drop tower arrangement was used to simulate the dynamics of a practice torpedo impacting a submarine's pressure hull. This experiment provides a set of reference data against which numerical impact models can be tested. To ensure structural similarity, the model hull form used in the experiment is of a T-stiffened cylindrical section. The hull form and the impacting nose shell of the model torpedo have both been designed to deform under drop tower impact loads. To broaden the parameter range of this experiment and thus present a stronger test for numerical impact models, three impact velocities were used with three model hull forms - steel plate with and without stiffeners and aluminium plate without stiffeners. A qualitative comparison of the results for the three model hull forms shows that stiffeners tend to limit the extent of the dent, that aluminium plate has a greater elastic response than that of both stiffened and unstiffened steel plate, and that the nose is flattened for impact against the steel hull form but dimpled for impact against the aluminium hull form. Experimental data presented in this report includes the tensile properties of the nose, hull and stiffener materials, dimensional scans of the deformed noses and hull plates, cross-sections taken through the impact dents, and high speed video and kinematic data of the fall, impact and rebound of the model torpedo nose from the hull form. A supplementary digital data-set is available for the numerical modelling of this experiment.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2012
- Accession Number
- ADA566741
Entities
People
- Paul Van Der Schaaf