Numerical Impact Simulation of Aircraft Into Reinforced Concrete Walls With Different Thickness

Abstract

Aircraft impact analysis is needed for a safety assessment of nuclear power plants. One of the contents which should be analysed for aircraft impact is physical damage of a concrete building and this can be estimated by a numerical simulation. In order to conduct aircraft impact analysis, simulation model which validated by some experimental data needs to be established. In 1990s, impact test using actual F4 Phantom fighter was conducted at Sandia national laboratory in U.S. and a lot of important experimental data were measured. In this paper, the numerical simulation results for this F4 Phantom impact test are introduced. The relationship between the thickness of the shell of the F4 Phantom simulation model and the deceleration of this model is indicated and the differences of the deceleration between simulation and test results are discussed. In addition, the relationship between fracture strain of the shell of the F4 Phantom simulation model and the destruction mode of this model in simulation is indicated and the differences between the destruction mode of the F4 Phantom between simulation and test results are discussed. In order to evaluate the physical damage area after the aircraft impact, it is necessary to estimate the aircraft velocity after it perforates the outer concrete wall and to calculate the decrease of the kinematic energy of the aircraft by this perforation. In this paper, several aircraft impact simulations with different concrete wall thickness are conducted and the reduction in kinematic energies of an aircraft by a perforation is estimated. Using these simulation results, the necessary numbers of concrete walls until the impacting aircraft stops is discussed.