Role of impactor properties on the computational simulation of particle impact damage in transparent ceramic windows

Abstract

The ability to deploy advanced sensor and seeker systems in harsh environments is often restricted by the mechanical durability of the external electromagnetic window or dome. Mission environments may range from long flights at high speeds through rain, ice, or sand to exposure at slower speeds to debris on runways or from helicopter downwash. While significant progress has been made to characterize, understand, and model rain damage, less is known about modeling damage in windows and domes caused by impacts from solid particles such as stones, pebbles, and sand. This paper highlights recent progress made to simulate particle impact damage in zinc sulfide (ZnS) using peridynamics (PD). Early versions of the PD model of sand impact damage simulated the sand particle as a rigid disk. Results from these early models indicated that the extent of damage in relation to the size of the impacting particle was significantly larger than the actual damage observed by experimentation. In order to identify possible explanations for this discrepancy, the shape, impact orientation and mechanical properties of the impacting particle were modified to more closely resemble actual sand particle impacts, that is, the particle was made friable (deformable and breakable). The impacting geometries considered include sphere, flat face of a cylinder, cube-face, cube-edge, and cube-corner. Results confirm that modification of the impacting particle’s mechanical properties, shape and impact orientation lead to better agreement between experimental observations and simulation results.