Simulation for the Response of a Structure Subjected to a Load from an Explosion

Utilizing simulation technology is important for designing a structure with increased survivability to a load from an explosion. The pressure wave from the blast and the fragments hitting the structure must be simulated in such an analysis. Commercial software can be utilized through the development of appropriate interfaces for performing such computations. In this paper an approach is presented for combining commercially available Eulerian and Lagrangian solvers for performing blast event simulations. A capability has been developed for automatically creating the Eulerian finite element given the finite element model for the structure. The effect of moisture in the soil properties is considered during the generation of the soil - explosive - air model used by the Eulerian solver. Tracers are defined in the Eulerian model for all structural finite elements which are on the outer part of the structure and are subjected to the load from the blast. The data for the pressure load from the explosion comprise the loading for the structural response of the target structure. A methodology has also been developed for using the pressure information from the explosion for assigning appropriate velocity and trajectories to projectiles and fragments that are present in the explosion. The projectiles are considered along with the blast pressure load to hit the structure and the response of the structure to the combined loads can be computed. Information about the necessary interface developments for performing blast event simulations and a generic example of a box structure subjected to the loads from an explosion are presented.