Modelling the behaviour of composite sandwich structures when subject to air-blast loading

Authors

  • H Arora
  • P Hooper
  • P Linz
  • H Yang
  • S Chen
  • J Dear

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1260/1750-9548.6.3.199

Abstract

Large-scale glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) and carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) sandwich structures (1.6 m x 1.3 m) were subject to explosive air blast (100 kg TNT equivalent) at stand-off distances of 14 m. Digital image correlation (DIC) was used to obtain full-field data for the rear-face of each deforming target. A steel plate of comparable mass per unit area was also subjected to the same blast conditions for comparison. The experimental data was then verified with finite element models generated in Abaqus/Explicit. Close agreement was obtained between the numerical and experimental results, confirming that the CFRP panels had a superior blast performance to the GFRP panels. Moreover all composite targets sustained localised failures (that were more severe in the GFRP targets) but retained their original shape post blast. The rear-skins remained intact for each composite target with core shear failure present.

References

Peles, S., Neuberger, A., and Rittel, D., Scaling the response of circular plates subjected to large and closerange spherical explosions. part i: Air-blast loading, International Journal of Impact Engineering, 2007, 34(5), 859-873. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijimpeng.2006.04.001

Peles, S., Neuberger, A., and Rittel, D., Scaling the response of circular plates subjected to large and closerange spherical explosions. part ii: buried charges, International Journal of Impact Engineering, 2007, 34(5), 874-882. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijimpeng.2006.04.002

Menkes, S. B. and Opat, H. J., Tearing and shear failure in explosively loaded clamped beams, Experimental Mechanics, 1973, 13(11), 480-486. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf02322734

Nurick, G. N. and Martin, J. B., Deformation of thin plates subject to impulsive loading - a review, part ii: Experimental studies, International Journal of Impact Engineering, 1989, 8(2), 171-186. https://doi.org/10.1016/0734-743x(89)90015-8

Nurick, G. N., Olsson, M. D., and Fagnan, J. R., Deformation and rupture of blast loaded square plates - predictions and experiments, International Journal of Impact Engineering, 1993, 13(2), 279-291. https://doi.org/10.1016/0734-743x(93)90097-q

Gelman, M. E., Nurick, G. N., and Marshall, N. S., Tearing of blast loaded plates with clamped boundary conditions, International Journal of Impact Engineering, 1996, 18(7-8), 803-827. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0734-743x(96)00026-7

Cantwell, W. J., Langdon, G. S., and Nurick, G. N., The blast response of novel thermoplastic-based fibre-metal laminates some preliminary results and observations, Composites Science and Technology, 2005, 65, 861-872. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compscitech.2004.09.025

Nurick, G. N., et al., Behaviour of fibremetal laminates subjected to localised blast loading: Part i: experimental observations, International Journal of Impact Engineering, 2007, 34, 1202-1222. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijimpeng.2006.05.008

Nurick, G. N., et al., Behaviour of fibremetal laminates subjected to localised blast loading: Part ii: experimental observations, International Journal of Impact Engineering, 2007, 34, 1223-1245. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijimpeng.2006.05.009

Tekalur, S. A., Shukla, A., and Shivakumar, K., Blast resistance of polyurea based layered composite materials, Composite Structures, 2008, 84(3), 271-281. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2007.08.008

Tekalur, S. A., Shivakumar, K., and Shukla, A., Mechanical behavior and damage evolution in E-glass vinyl ester and carbon composites subjected to static and blast loads, Composites Part B, 2008, 39(1), 57-65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2007.02.020

Tekalur, S. A., Bogdanovich, A. E., and Shukla, A., Shock loading response of sandwich panels with 3-D woven E-glass composite skins and stitched foam core, Composites Science and Technology, 2009, 69(6), 736-753. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compscitech.2008.03.017

Arora, H., Hooper, P., and Dear, J., The Effects of Air and Underwater Blast on Composite Sandwich Panels and Tubular Laminate Structures, Experimental Mechanics, 2012, 52(1), 59-81. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11340-011-9506-z

Arora, H., Hooper, P. A., and Dear, J. P., Dynamic response of full-scale sandwich composite structures subject to air-blast loading, Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, 2011, 42(11), 1651-1662. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2011.07.018

Hooper, P. A., Sukhram, R. A.M, Blackman, B. R. K. and Dear, J. P., On the blast resistance of laminated glass, International Journal of Solids and Structures, 2012, 49(6), 899-918. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsolstr.2011.12.008

Biggs, J. M., Introduction to Structural Dynamics, McGraw-hill Publishing Company, USA, 1964.

Smith, P. D. and Hetherington, J. G., Blast and ballistic loading of structures, Butterworth Heinmann, 1994.

Published

2012-09-30

How to Cite

Arora, H., Hooper, P., Linz, P., Yang, H., Chen, S. and Dear, J. (2012) “Modelling the behaviour of composite sandwich structures when subject to air-blast loading”, The International Journal of Multiphysics, 6(3), pp. 199-218. doi: 10.1260/1750-9548.6.3.199.

Issue

Section

Articles