Numerical investigation of hypervelocity impact simulation with FEM/SPH formulation for space structures

Abstract

This paper investigates the response of aluminum structures to hypervelocity impact (HVI) and the formation of debris clouds using the Adaptive Finite Element (FEM)/Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) method. The main objective is to accurately replicate the response of curved thin plates to various HVIs and to characterize the resulting debris cloud shapes., for representative of shielding structures against Micrometeoroids and Orbital Debris (MMOD). In particular, the effects of different solid element formulations on the adaptive method are investigated. Experimental data from the literature is used to validate the proposed model, which is then applied to a curved thin plate subjected to varying impact angles. The findings highlight the significant influence of solid element formulation on the effectiveness of the adaptive method. Moreover, a direct correlation is observed between the impact angle and the produced debris cloud shape. These results contribute to the current knowledge on HVI responses and provide valuable insights for predicting and analyzing debris cloud formation in relation to aluminum structures.