Abstract
Lightweight protective configurations against blast and fragment impacts were studied experimentally and numerically. The configurations comprised different combinations of Kevlar fabrics, laminated GFRP (Glass Fiber Reinforced Polyester), polyurethane (PU) foam, and alumina (Al2O3). The polyurethane (PU)–sand multi-layer composition and a mixture of polyurethane–sand and polyurethane–alumina powder were also studied. The protective configurations were tested under static detonation of a scaled down artillery shell. Protective capabilities were tested against a peak incident overpressure of 57 psi and fragments weighing up to 4.3 g carrying velocities in the range of 961 m/s–1555 m/s. Numerical simulations were performed using ANSYS AUTODYN. The coupled SPH (Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics)–ALE (Arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian) approach was used to simulate the interaction of fragments with protective configurations. A coupled Euler–ALE approach was employed for blast wave loading on protective configurations. The Kevlar fabrics, laminated GFRP, and PU foam compositions provided significant absorption and attenuation to impacting fragments. Configurations employing alumina tile were able to withstand both blast and fragment impacts without significant backface signatures (blunt force trauma). The configurations can be employed as body armor, vehicle armor, and for the safety and security of other critical infrastructures against blast wave and high velocity fragment impact. Numerical simulation results are in fair agreement with experimental results.
Highlights
The assessment of blast and fragmentation effects arising from a nearby detonation of a munition or an improvised explosive device (IED) is important for design, safety, and efficiency analysis of munitions as well as to develop a protective configuration against their damaging effects.[1]
The present work deals with the design, developing, and testing of various lightweight protective configurations against blast and fragmentation loadings of a scaled down artillery shell (155 mm)
Two tests were conducted with a geometrically scaled down model of 155 mm artillery shell to study the fragmentation and blast phenomenon and the effects of fragments and blast wave on seven protective configurations
Summary
The assessment of blast and fragmentation effects arising from a nearby detonation of a munition or an improvised explosive device (IED) is important for design, safety, and efficiency analysis of munitions as well as to develop a protective configuration against their damaging effects.[1]. A cylindrical casing fractures by two modes: tension and shear fracture. The shear fracture plays a key role in the fracture process of the metallic cylinder. Once the metal casing starts breaking apart, the product gases begin to escape the confinement, resulting in the formation of a shock wave, called a blast wave. The high velocity fragments follow the blast wave. The fragment mass distribution and velocity vectors are important to assess the lethal radius of a munition. Gurney[5] proposed a relation for estimating the fragment velocity for cylindrical casing exploded under energetic filling. Stant can be approximated as 2E = 0.338D, where D is the detonation velocity.[6] Huang et al.[7] proposed a relationship for the initial fragment velocity calculation along the axis of cylindrical casing by incorporating the influence of rarefaction waves at the ends. Where x is the distance to the detonation end along the axis of cylindrical casing, d is the explosive diameter, and L is the casing length
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