Integrated design of blast resistance panels and materials

Abstract

In modern armour warfare, crew survivability is of paramount importance. One way to ensure survivability is to protect soldiers from anti-tank mines with Blast Resistant Panels (BRPs). A BRP is a lightweight sandwich structure with a low-relative-density core in between two high-density panels. The aim of this project is to further enhance the performance of BRPs using lighter structures, in order to mitigate the kinetic energy induced by shock waves. We employ a new design approach, using integrated material and a product design which utilizes a distributed framework. This approach eliminates the inherent limitations of pre-designed materials used in conventional, material-selection-based design. In this context, the limitations of BRPs designed in the conventional approach are examined and compared with the new BRP design. An artificial neural network-based material model is introduced to demonstrate the practicality and feasibility of this new design paradigm. The BRP design is then validated using FEA. Design results of the new BRP are compared to those using the conventional material-selection-based design. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.