Numerical simulation of a novel blast wave mitigation device

• Published in: International journal of impact engineering Vol. 35; no. 5; pp. 336 - 346
• Main Authors: Su, Zhenbi, Peng, Wen, Zhang, Zhaoyan, Gogos, George, Skaggs, Reed, Cheeseman, Bryan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2008; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Blast wave; Exact sciences and technology; Fracture mechanics (crack, fatigue, damage...); Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Mitigation; Numerical simulation; Physics; Solid mechanics; Structural and continuum mechanics; Mitigation; Blast wave; Numerical simulation; Pressure wave; Modeling; Assembly; Shock wave
• ISSN: 0734-743X; 1879-3509
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijimpeng.2007.04.001

This paper proposes a novel blast wave mitigation device, consisting of a piston–cylinder assembly. A shock wave is induced inside the device when it is subject to a blast wave. The shock wave propagates inside the device and is reflected repeatedly. The physical processes within the blast wave mitigation device are simulated numerically. Numerical predictions are in excellent agreement with analytical solutions for special cases of the investigated problem that are available in the literature. The peak pressure on the base of the device caused by the blast wave is studied using a number of design parameters. The numerical simulation shows that, although the transmitted impulse remains practically unchanged, the peak pressure of the blast wave can be reduced by as much as 98%, or even higher, depending on the design parameters chosen.