Characterization and Dynamic Response of Novel Composite Structures to Air Blast and Underwater Shock
Abstract
A comprehensive series of experiments will be conducted to investigate, explore, develop and evaluate novel blast mitigating composite materials and structures (including sandwich constructions), which are highly effective for the protection of naval structures subjected to air and underwater blast loadings. These experiments will also form the data base for validation of computer simulations at NUWC and Virginia Tech. The anticipated outcomes of this project will be on understanding the advanced aspects of failure and damage in composites during an explosion event for both underwater and in-air applications. Additionally, these experiments will parallelly be used to identify optimal design criteria to improve blast mitigation performance of composite materials under a variety of complex environments. Previous works by URI in this area has contributed significantly to the overall understanding of blast performance of composite and composite sandwich structures. The proposed work seeks to expand on the previous works by conducting experiments to understand and develop advanced methods of characterizing blast performance of various composite and sandwich structures made of both traditional and hybrid composites. Material selection, structural design, and panel construction will be carried out to minimize peak deformation and maximize energy absorbed during dynamic loadings. Material selection will be accompanied by high-strain rate characterization of foams, face-sheets, polymeric coatings to inform the design process and to also improve material modeling. Scenarios such as UNDEX – air and water backed, and air blast, will be experimentally investigated to compare the performances of the panels developed. Furthermore, curved composite panels will also be fabricated and subjected to highly dynamic loads to compare blast performance with flat panels. Additionally, the effects of Arctic and Gulf marine environments on the material and structural response of composite panels will be investigated. Lastly, the experimental validation of computational models developed by fellow collaborating and participating institutions will also be a major focus. The experiments will be performed using state of the art research facilities at URI. A 3D digital image correlation (DIC) system consisting of two or more high-speed stereo vision cameras will obtain full-field out-of-plane and in-plane deformation data of the entire event. Pressure transducers will be used to acquire dynamic pressure measurements during the blast loading events. This proposal aims to accelerate the widespread adoption of composite materials for US Naval and DoD applications. Within the Navy, the need to expand the utility of composite materials has become a topic of growing interest given their well-known strength to weight characteristics and low life-cycle costs. Joint collaborations with participating institutions under the terms of the project agreement will also be sought to enhance the research methodology and experimentation process and outcomes.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Oct 19, 2020
- Source ID
- N000142012877
Entities
People
- Arun Shukla
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of Rhode Island