Numerical Analysis of Armored Fighting Vehicle Escape Hatch Subjected to Mine Blast Loading Using Coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian Technique

This article describes the research work taken to compare the effect of air blast and surface-buried mine blast loading on an armored fighting vehicle (AFV) escape hatch, using the coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian (CEL) technique. Two types of escape hatch were considered for the study, namely, the flat plate version and double-side curved-plate version. To evaluate the research methodology used in this investigation, initially, a published experimental work on a circular plate subjected to air blast was chosen and a benchmark simulation was carried out using the CEL technique to establish the simulation procedure. Then the established procedure was utilized for further analysis. It was observed that the variation in the deformation between the published literature and the simulation work was well within the acceptable engineering limits. After that, numerical studies were conducted on the flat and double-side curved hatch by subjecting it to both air blast and surface-buried mine blast loading using the previously established CEL technique. The results of the peak central deflection of the hatch and the transmitted impulse to the base structure were compared for each type of loading case. It was systematically established that the double-side curved hatch gives better protection to the crew against both air blast loading and surface-buried mine blast loading situations.