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WATER BLAST LOADING OF COMPOSITE SANDWICH STRUCTURES WITH PVC FOAM CORES

Dale, Elisha John
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1555609595131049

Abstract Details

2019, Master of Science in Engineering, University of Akron, Mechanical Engineering.
The use of polymer composites in naval vessels as a replacement for metals is on the rise. This change is due to several factors including the high stiffness-to-weight and strength-to-weight ratios, as well as the corrosion resistance and increased stealth capability of using composites. This leads us to try to understand how composite sandwich structures with PVC foam cores respond to explosive blasts in air and water. Due to the complexity of the problem, numerical methods were used to explore this situation. Using ABAQUS Explicit, numerical solutions were developed to calculate the response of flat and double curvature composite sandwich structures subjected to air blast and water blast. In the FEA solutions, the fluid was modeled as an acoustic medium, the facesheets as elastic, and the foam core as isotropic crushable foam allowing for plasticity and in turn crushing. The flat panel in the air blast scenarios showed large out-of-plane shear stresses with other stresses being insignificant, while in the water blast scenarios in-plane stresses and out-of-plane compressive stresses were much larger. Moreover, the FEA solutions showed that for air-blasted curved panels, both in-plane and out-of-plane stresses became more influential. Finally, for curved panels subjected to water blast loading, the stresses developed in the core were also triaxial, but less out-of-plane or transverse shear was found. Several parametric studies were done on curved sandwich panels subjected to water blast. A parametric study on curvature effect revealed that panels with a small range of curvatures provided superior blast resistance and energy absorption with a particular PVC foam core. In addition, a parametric study on foam type showed that curved panel with the highest blast resistance exhibited core plasticity or crushing. Foam cores that were too stiff, did not crush and had lower blast resistance than those that were less stiff. Foams that were too soft crushed quickly allowing the facesheet to reverse curvature and fail easily. Therefore, good blast resistance requires a balance between foam core stiffness and foam core crushing.
Michelle Hoo Fatt, Dr. (Advisor)
Xiaosheng Gao, Dr. (Committee Member)
83 p.
Mechanical Engineering; Naval Engineering

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Dale, E. J. (2019). WATER BLAST LOADING OF COMPOSITE SANDWICH STRUCTURES WITH PVC FOAM CORES [Master's thesis, University of Akron]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1555609595131049

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Dale, Elisha. WATER BLAST LOADING OF COMPOSITE SANDWICH STRUCTURES WITH PVC FOAM CORES. 2019. University of Akron, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1555609595131049.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Dale, Elisha. "WATER BLAST LOADING OF COMPOSITE SANDWICH STRUCTURES WITH PVC FOAM CORES." Master's thesis, University of Akron, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1555609595131049

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

akron1555609595131049
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This open access ETD is published by University of Akron and OhioLINK.