A STUDY OF SHOCKWAVE ATTENUATION IN A CHANNEL WITH RIGID OBSTACLE MATRICES

Abstract

Development of protective barriers for structures against blast wave requires identification of optimum geometrical arrangement that gives the best attenuation characteristics. This paper highlights the comparative assessment towards shock attenuation capabilities of different arrangements of geometries in terms of pressure load dispersion through numerical methods. The simulations were based on Reynolds average Navier-Stokes equations with SST-kω turbulent model and the important flow features that enhance attenuation of the shock wave were captured. The results shows that the flow domain behind the shock front experienced multiple shock interactions that involved shock diffraction and shock reflection. A complex structure with distinct flow features that evolved within the perturbed region strongly affects the shape of the shock. A comparative analysis of geometries shows similar flow features, a hybrid V-shaped obstacle (H-OG), gives the best attenuation but with large flow blockage. The concave-convex domain with circular thin wall (C-OG) gives good attenuation capability with minimum flow blockage but its major setback is design and fabrication. Incorporating V-shaped obstacles into protective devices will greatly reduce the destructive hazards inherent in blast or shock waves.