ANALYSIS OF GROUND VEHICLE GUN MOUNT LOADS AND STRESS DURING GUN FIRE IMPULSE USING A SYSTEM MODEL WITH FLEXIBLE BODIES

A detailed methodology employing a system model of a tracked vehicle with a gun turret is used to analyze the stresses and loads applied to the gun mount as a result of gun firing events. The vehicle system model combines a Virtual Lab.Motion model of the tracked vehicle and gun mount which includes track super element, flexible gun mount body, and a beam element representation of the gun and gun tube sleeve coupled with a MATLAB/Simulink model of the hydraulic/pneumatic recoil system and gun pointing control system. This coupled system model with flexible components is needed for this analysis to determine the portion of the impulse that results in gun mount deformation. A brief overview of the vehicle system model, a detailed description of the gun mount model, and analysis of the gun mount loads and stress is included.