Dynamic response of a steel tube to blast

Abstract

This analysed case has been inspired by security concerns to ensure safe utilization of pipeline systems used for gas and crude oil transportation. Compromised pipeline security often results from terrorist threat and warfare activities, especially in regions that are of significant value for the world's energy supplies. Computational mechanics methods used in this research seem to be equally applicable to such events as disturbances in routine pipelines operation by seismic or mining activities, as they also require similar shock wave analysis for possible damage assessment of the affected pipelines. In our computational trials the tested pipe elements were charged with different high explosives. To describe viscous effects which take a place in metals subjected to very short impacts loads the Johnson-Cook model was adopted. The tests confirmed characteristic damages in the form of pieces of metal cut out from the pipe's structure. These pieces of metal represent geometric shapes of cubes of the detonation material. In practice, every instance given consideration confirms that putting any explosive directly on the pipe wall results in permanent deformation of local range which means cutting some element out of the pipe wall.