Rigid body water impact–experimental tests and numerical simulations using the SPH method

• Published in: International journal of impact engineering Vol. 38; no. 4; pp. 141 - 151
• Main Authors: Anghileri, Marco, Castelletti, Luigi-Maria L., Francesconi, Edoardo, Milanese, Andrea, Pittofrati, Michele
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Drop tests; Exact sciences and technology; Fracture mechanics (crack, fatigue, damage...); Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Nonlinear finite element analysis; Physics; Smoothed particle hydrodynamics; Solid dynamics (ballistics, collision, multibody system, stabilization...); Solid mechanics; Structural and continuum mechanics; Vibration, mechanical wave, dynamic stability (aeroelasticity, vibration control...); Water impact; Italy, Lombardia, Milano, Milano; Smoothed particle hydrodynamics; Water impact; Nonlinear finite element analysis; Drop tests; LAST; GARTEUR; EFG; ALE; SPH; Deceleration; Smoothed particle hydrodynamics method; Modeling; Dynamic test; Finite element method; Free fall; Rigid bodies; Helicopter; Statistical analysis; Probabilistic approach; Drop weight test; Hydrodynamic method; Experimental study; Pressure sensor; Particle method; Hydroelasticity; Meshless method; Non linear effect; Aircraft; Crush; Impact test; Mechanical shock
• ISSN: 0734-743X; 1879-3509
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijimpeng.2010.11.002

Statistics show that water impact of an aircraft in emergency is likely to have tragic consequences and therefore new researches on this topic are recommendable. In 2005, the GARTEUR AG15 was established to improve the SPH method for application to helicopter ditching. As a contribution, water impact drop tests using rigid bodies were performed at the Politecnico di Milano LAST Crash Lab to collect data and validate the numerical models. During the tests, impact decelerations were measured and suitably pressure transducers were developed to measure the impact pressures. Numerical simulations were carried out by adopting the SPH method to model the fluid region. A close experimental–numerical correlation was obtained. Findings are reported and guidelines for further investigations are proposed.