Response of Cylindrical Composite Structures Subjected to Underwater Impulsive Loading: Experimentations and Computations

The dynamic response of both thick-walled and thin-walled cylindrical composite structures subjected to underwater impulsive loads is analyzed. In the case of thick-walled structures, a novel experimental setup, the underwater shock loading simulator (USLS), is used to generate the impulsive loads. Deflection and core compression are characterized using high-speed digital imaging. The experiments are supported by fully dynamic numerical calculations which account for fluid-structure interactions (FSIs) and damage and failure mechanisms in the materials. The analysis focuses on the effect of varying structural attributes and material properties on load-carrying capacity, deformation mechanisms, and damage. Results show that cylindrical sandwich structures have superior blast-resistance than cylindrical monolithic structures of equal mass with only relatively minor increases in wall thickness. In the case of thin-walled structures, a unique computational framework based on a coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian (CEL) approach is developed to study the structural collapse and damage evolution under large impulsive loads which induces an implosion event. Simulations are carried out for a range of hydrostatic pressure and impulsive load intensity, with different loading configurations. Ply level stress analysis provides an insight on the stress-structural deformation-damage evolution relationship during the severe explosion-induced implosion event. The experiments, computations, and structure-performance relations developed in the current study offer approaches for improving the blast-mitigation capabilities of cylindrical composite sections in critical parts of marine structures, such as the keel, hull, and pipes.