ANALYSIS AND PARAMETRIC DESIGN OF SANDWICH STRUCTURES FOR BLAST MITIGATION

Abstract

Ensuring the safety of structures against blast loads has become increasingly critical due to rising terrorist threats in recent years. Propagating blast waves pose significant engineering challenges for safeguarding various structures like vehicles and buildings. Implementing mitigation systems to shield these structures remains a complex engineering endeavor. It's paramount to verify that structures can withstand impact events without causing substantial harm to occupants or the structure itself. Researchers utilize sacrificial layers to safeguard structures from blast hazards. This report provides a comprehensive overview of previous research on the blast resistance of sandwich structures. It covers the materials used for the core and outer layers, the design and manufacturing processes, and the testing methods employed to assess their performance. Additionally, it examines factors influencing blast resistance, such as explosive charge size and type, and the standoff distance of the structure. The study investigates a honeycomb structure with two face shields made from different materials—Rolling Homogenous Armor Steel (RHA Steel) and Aluminium (Al-5005 H34)—subjected to TNT blast loading. Overall, the findings indicatethat sandwich structures exhibit considerable potential as reliable and effective solutions for blastresistance across various sectors, including military, civilian, and industrial applications. Utilizing a dynamic explicit model and the ABAQUS non-linear finite element algorithm, a comprehensive three-dimensional analysis is conducted to predict both the displacement of the structure and the energy imparted within it during a blast event. Subsequently, the performance of a honeycomb structure is compared to that of a monolithic plate constructed solely from RHA Steel, aiming to enhance protection efficacy and achieve mass reduction under equivalent TNT blast loading conditions.