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Fast Fourier transform (FFT) has been widely used to analyze distribution patterns of frequency components in dynamic response signals. Given a stationary dynamic response signal, a fixed frequency distribution pattern can be obtained efficiently using FFT. If the system of concern is not stationary, however, the frequency distribution pattern varies with time, and the variation in that pattern cannot be effectively determined via FFT. To overcome this weakness, time-frequency dual-domain signal analysis methods such as wavelet transform and Hilbert-Huang transform (HHT) have been introduced. HHT has been shown to be particularly effective in analysis of nonstationary signals obtained from non-linear as well as linear systems. In the present study, the transient characteristics of a composite panel undergoing high-velocity impact were investigated. The composite panel, along with the colliding bullet, were modeled using the finite element method. To verify the reliability of the analysis model, an impact experiment was carried out, which proved that the model provides reliable, similar-to-experimental results.

No abstract

A new structural design technology has been recently developed to build a new type of land vehicle in military use. While thick panels are only employed in conventional land vehicle structures, solid frames combined with relatively thin composite panels are employed for the new type of vehicle. The structural integrity of the new vehicle structure type is mainly guaranteed by the solid frames while composite panels are used to protect passengers and equipments of the vehicle. To design such a frame-panel structure, frame design needs to be done first. In this paper, a two-stage design process is proposed employing topology and cross section optimization methods. Overall frame arrangement of the new vehicle structure is obtained by the topology optimization in the first design stage and the detailed dimensions of the frames are obtained by the cross section optimization in the second design stage.

A new manufacturing technology is being employed to build a new type of armored vehicle. While thick panels are welded together in the old manufacturing technology, relatively thin panels are welded to a frame structure in the new manufacturing technology. The structural integrity of the new type of armor vehicles can be maintained mainly by the frame structures while the panel thickness is reduced significantly to reduce the total vehicle weight. Since the dynamic characteristics of a frame-panel hybrid structure are different from those of the old type of structure which consists of only thick panels, they should be identified to achieve a good performance of the vehicle. For this purpose, a proper FE model of the hybrid type of structure needs to be developed. In the present study, FE models are proposed to represent the frame-panel hybrid type structure efficiently. The impact energy propagation, the transient response and the modal characteristics are investigated with the FE models.