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The kinematic response (including plastic deformation, failure initiation and fracture) of a soft-skinned vehicle (represented by a F800 series single-unit truck) to the detonation of a landmine shallow-buried in (either dry or saturated sand) underneath the vehicle's front right wheel is analyzed computationally. The computational analysis included the interactions of the gaseous detonation products and the sand ejecta with the vehicle and the transient non-linear dynamics response of the vehicle. A frequency analysis of the pressure versus time signals and visual observation clearly show the differences in the blast loads resulting from the landmine detonation in dry and saturated sand as well as the associated kinematic response of the vehicle. It is noted that the dominant vehicle structural response to the blast is similar to the first torsional structural mode shape obtained through an eigenvalue analysis of the system. Tailoring the vehicle modal response may result in more desirable modes of failure.

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A comprehensive finite element investigation is carried out of the effect of up-armouring on the off-road performance of a prototypical high-mobility multi-purpose wheeled vehicle. The effect of up-armouring on the vehicle performance was investigated under the following off-road manoeuvres: straight-line flat-land braking; straight-line off-angle downhill braking; sharp left turn. In each case, the appropriate vehicle performance criteria are identified and the parameters used to quantify these criteria are defined and assessed. The computational results obtained clearly revealed the compromises in vehicle off-road performance caused by the up-armouring employed to improve vehicle blast and ballistic protection performance and survivability. The results obtained are also analysed and explained in terms of general field-test observations in order to judge the physical soundness and fidelity of the present computational approach. Finally, the potential benefits and ramifications of lightweight up-armouring in providing the needed level of blast and/or ballistic performance while causing fewer compromises in the vehicle off-road performance are also discussed.