Deformation behavior of super-austenitic stainless steel sandwich panels subjected to air blast and underwater explosion

Abstract

Super-austenitic stainless steel is a class of high alloy steels with enhanced toughness, outstanding strength, and corrosion resistance. In this article, the structural integrity of super-austenitic stainless steel square sandwich panels subjected to surface and underwater explosions is investigated through numerical simulations, and the results are validated with experiments. Abaqus Explicit Solver is used to predict the face deformation and core crushing failure modes of the sandwich panels. Simulations are performed for three levels of impulse load by varying the explosive quantity. The fluid-structure interaction is established by CONWEP and UNDEX algorithms for air blasts and underwater explosions respectively. The dynamic deformation behavior of the sandwich panel is modeled using the Johnson-Cook (JC) plasticity model incorporating strain rate and temperature effects. Good agreement is witnessed between the numerical predictions and experimental observations. An increment in deformation of the face sheet, cell wall buckling, and core compaction is observed with the increase in the impulse. From a series of air and underwater explosion simulations, the advantage of using sandwich structures for blast mitigation is demonstrated. In addition, the significance of numerical simulations to limit experiments and predict the deformation of the sandwich panels is presented.