Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Response of Composite Materials Subjected to Underwater Explosive Loading: Experimental and Computational Studies

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Advances in Thick Section Composite and Sandwich Structures

  • 710 Accesses

Abstract

The response of composite materials and structures while subjected to highly transient loading in the form of underwater explosions has been studied through advanced experimental methods with corresponding computational simulations. The work conducted over approximately the past decade represents a progression in terms of loading conditions, structural geometries, and the effects of material ageing. The influence of elastomeric coatings has also been examined. Overall the research program was initiated through the study of curved composite plates subjected to far field underwater explosion (UNDEX) loading, and was followed by an investigation of flat plates undergoing near field blast loading. These efforts were followed by a detailed study into the highly complex loadings of cylindrical bodies subjected to near field blast conditions. Most recently, the effects of material ageing due to long term seawater immersion on the shock response of composites was considered. In each individual study, detailed experiments were conducted which subject the composite materials to controlled loading while capturing the response in real time through the use of high speed photography and optical methods. Furthermore, each individual study contains the development of detailed computational models which are shown to capture the complex fluid structure interactions while also accurately simulating the material response and damage characteristics.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Nurick G, Olson M, Fagnan J, Levin A (1995) Deformation and tearing of blast loaded Stiffened Square plates. Int J Impact Eng 16:273–291

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Nurick G, Shave G (1996) The deformation and tearing of Thin Square plates subjected to impulsive loads–an experimental study. Int J Impact Eng 18:99–116

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Tekalur AS, Shivakumar K, Shukla A (2008) Mechanical behavior and damage evolution in E-glass vinyl Ester and Carbon composites subjected to static and blast loads. Compos Part B 39:57–65

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Mouritz AP (2001) Ballistic impact and explosive blast resistance of stitched composites. Compos Part B 32:431–439

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Mourtiz AP (1996) The effect of underwater explosion shock loading on the flexural properties of GRP laminates. Int J Impact Eng 18:129–139

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Mouritz AP (1995) The effect of underwater explosion shock loading on the fatigue behavior of GRP laminates. Compos 26:3–9

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Dear J, Brown S (2003) Impact damage processes in reinforced polymeric materials. Compos A: Appl Sci Manuf 34:411–420

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Franz T, Nurick G, Perry M (2002) Experimental investigation into the response of chopped-strand mat glassfibre laminates to blast loading. Int J Impact Load 27:639–667

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. LeBlanc J, Shukla A, Rousseau C, Bogdanovich A (2007) Shock loading of three-dimensional woven composite materials. Compos Struct 79:344–355

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. LeBlanc J, Shukla A (2010) Dynamic response and damage evolution in composite materials subjected to underwater explosive loading: an experimental and computational study. Compos Struct 92:2421–2430

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. LeBlanc J, Shukla A (2011) Dynamic response of curved composite plates to underwater explosive loading: experimental and computational comparisons. Compos Struct 93:3072–3081

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Jackson M, Shukla A (2010) Performance of Sandwich composites subjected to sequential impact and air blast loading. Compos Part B 42:155–166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2010.09.005

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Schubel PM, Luo J, Daniel I (2007) Impact and post impact behavior of composite Sandwich panels. Compos Part A 38:1051–1057

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Arora H, Hooper P, Dear JP (2010) Impact and blast resistance of glass fibre reinforced Sandwich composite materials. In: Proceedings of IMPLAST 2010

    Google Scholar 

  15. Avachat S, Zhou M (2014) Response of cylindrical composite structures to underwater impulsive loading. Procedia Eng 88:69–76

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Avachat S, Zhou M (2015) High-speed digital imaging and computational modeling of dynamic failure in composite structures subjected to underwater impulsive loads. Int J Impact Eng 77:147–165

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Latourte F, Gregoire D, Zenkert D, Wei X, Espinosa H (2011) Failure mechanisms in composite plates subjected to underwater impulsive loads. J Mech Phys Solids 59:1623–1646

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Espinosa H, Lee S, Moldovan N (2006) A novel fluid structure interaction experiment to investigate deformation of structural elements subjected to impulsive loading. Exp Mech 46(6):805–824

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Matzenmiller A, Lubliner J, Taylor RL (1995) A constitutive model for anisotropic damage in fiber-composites. Mech Mater 20:125–152

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Zako M, Uetsuji Y, Kurashiki T (2003) Finite element analysis of damaged woven fabric composite materials. Compos Sci Technol 63:507–516

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Dyka CT, Badaliance R (1998) Damage in marine composites caused by shock loading. Compos Sci Technol 58:1433–1442

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. O’Daniel JL, Koudela KL, Krauthammer T (2005) Numerical simulation and validation of distributed impact events. Int J Impact Eng 31:1013–1038

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. McGregor CJ, Vaziri R, Poursartip A, Xiao X (2007) Simulation of progressive damage development in braided composite tubes under axial compression. Compos Part A 38:2247–2259

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Gama B, Xiao J, Haque M, Yen C, Gillespie J (2004) Experimental and numerical investigations on damage and delamination in thick plain weave S-2 glass composites under quasi-static punch shear loading. Center for Composite Materials, University of Delaware

    Google Scholar 

  25. Donadon MV, Iannucci L, Falzon BG, Hodgkinson JM, de Almeida SFM (2008) A progressive failure model for composite laminates subjected to low velocity impact damage. Comput Struct 86:1232–1252

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Hosseinzadeh R, Shokrieh MM, Lessard L (2006) Damage behavior of Fiber reinforced composite plates subjected to drop weight impacts. Compos Sci Technol 66:61–68

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Tagarielli VL, Deshpande VS, Fleck NA (2010) Prediction of the dynamic response of composite Sandwich beams under shock loading. Int J Impact Eng 37:854–864

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Batra RC, Hassan NM (2007) Response of Fiber reinforced composites to underwater explosive loads. Compos Part B 38:448–468

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Davies P (2016) Environmental degradation of composites for marine structures: new materials and new applications. Phil Trans Math Phys Eng Sci 374(2071):20150272. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2015.0272

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Shirrell C, Halpin J (1977) Moisture absorption and desorption in epoxy composite laminates. Compos mater: testing and design (Fourth Conference). https://doi.org/10.1520/stp26963s

  31. Browning C, Husman G, Whitney J (1977) Moisture effects in epoxy matrix composites. In: Davis J (ed) Composite materials: testing and design (Fourth Conference), STP26961S. ASTM International, West Conshohocken, pp 481–496. https://doi.org/10.1520/STP26961S

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  32. Blikstad M, Sjoblom PO, Johannesson TR (1984) Long-term moisture absorption in graphite/epoxy angle-ply laminates. J Compos Mater 18(1):32–46. https://doi.org/10.1177/002199838401800103

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Neumann S, Marom G (1987) Prediction of moisture diffusion parameters in composite materials under stress. J Compos Mater 21(1):68–80. https://doi.org/10.1177/002199838702100105

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Choqueuse D, Davies P (2008) Aging of composites in underwater applications. Ageing of Composites. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781439832493.ch18

    Google Scholar 

  35. Sar B, Fréour S, Davies P, Jacquemin F (2012) Coupling moisture diffusion and internal mechanical states in polymers – a thermodynamical approach. Eur J Mech A Solid 36:38–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euromechsol.2012.02.009

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Fichera M, Totten K, Carlsson LA (2015) Seawater effects on transverse tensile strength of carbon/vinyl ester as determined from single-fiber and macroscopic specimens. J Mater Sci 50(22):7248–7261. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-015-9279-3

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Choqueuse D, Davies P, Mazéas F, Baizeau R (1997) Aging of composites in water: comparison of five materials in terms of absorption kinetics and evolution of mechanical properties. In: High temperature and environmental effects on polymeric composites, vol 2. https://doi.org/10.1520/stp11369s

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  38. Davies P, Rajapakse Y (2014) Durability of composites in a marine environment. Springer, Dordrecht

    Book  Google Scholar 

  39. Crank J (1975) The mathematics of diffusion, 2nd edn. Oxford University Press, London

    Google Scholar 

  40. Shillings C, Javier C, LeBlanc J, Tilton C, Corverse L, Shukla A (Submitted 2017) Experimental and computational investigation of blast response of Carbon-Epoxy weathered composite materials. Composites B

    Google Scholar 

  41. Poche L, Zalesak J (1992) Development of a water-filled conical shock tube for shock testing of small sonar transducers by simulation of the test conditions for the heavyweight MIL-S-901D (Navy). NRL Memorandum Report 7109

    Google Scholar 

  42. Coombs A, Thornhill CK (1967) An underwater explosive shock gun. J Fluid Mech 29:373–383

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Filler WS (1964) Propagation of shock waves in a hydrodynamic conical shock tube. Phys Fluids 7:664–667

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Popineau S, Rondeau-Mouro C, Sulpice-Gaillet C, Shanahan ME (2005) Free/bound water absorption in an epoxy adhesive. Polymer 46(24):10733–10740. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymer.2005.09.008

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Rice M (2011) Activation energy calculation for the diffusion of water into PR-1590 and Pellethane 2103-80AW polyurethanes. NUWC-NPT Technical Memo 11–062

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The work was supported by the Office of Naval Research under the Solid Mechanics Program managed by Dr. Y.D.S. Rajapakse and by the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport In-House Laboratory Independent Research Program (Chief Technology Office) and Internal Investment Program (Strategic Investment Office).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Division Newport, Newport, RI, USA

    James LeBlanc & Erin Gauch

  2. Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA

    Carlos Javier & Arun Shukla

Authors
  1. James LeBlanc
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Erin Gauch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Carlos Javier
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Arun Shukla
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to James LeBlanc .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Aerospace Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD, USA

    Sung W. Lee

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

LeBlanc, J., Gauch, E., Javier, C., Shukla, A. (2020). The Response of Composite Materials Subjected to Underwater Explosive Loading: Experimental and Computational Studies. In: Lee, S. (eds) Advances in Thick Section Composite and Sandwich Structures. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-31065-3_2

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation