A Multidisciplinary Coupled Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Structural Dynamics (SD) Analysis of a 2.75-in Rocket Launcher

Abstract

Abstract : A multidisciplnary effort was undertaken to investigate the effect of aerodynamic loading on the structural integrity of a multiple launch rocket system of interest to the U.S. Army. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques have been used to obtain numerical solutions for the flow field of a rocket and launcher. Computed results have been obtained for several launch tubes, with the rocket at separation distances of 20, 33, and 66 in. Qualitative flow field features show the surface pressure on the surface of both the projectile and the launcher. The surface pressure data on the launcher was then extracted from the solution files. Software was developed to couple this data to a structural dynamics (SD) solver. CFD results provided the aerodynamic loading component used during the initial portion of the launch sequence. The SD code was subsequently used to calculate stress points on the launcher. These results represent a first step in an effort to generalize and fine tune the CFD/SD interface.