Optimal design of a composite space shield based on numerical simulations

Abstract

In this study, optimal design of a stuffed Whipple shield is proposed by using numerical simulations and new penetration criterion. The target model was selected based on the shield model used in the Columbus module of the international space station. Because experimental results can be obtained only in the low velocity region below 7 km/s, it is required to derive the Ballistic limit curve (BLC) in the high velocity region above 7 km/s by numerical simulation. AUTODYN-2D, the commercial hydro-code package, was used to simulate the nonlinear transient analysis for the hypervelocity impact. The Smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method was applied to projectile and bumper modeling to represent the debris cloud generated after the impact. Numerical simulation model and selected material properties were validated through a quantitative comparison between numerical and experimental results. A new criterion to determine whether the penetration occurs or not is proposed from kinetic energy analysis by numerical simulation in the velocity region over 7 km/s. The parameter optimization process was performed to improve the protection ability at a specific condition through the Design of experiment (DOE) method and the Response surface methodology (RSM). The performance of the proposed optimal design was numerically verified.

Application of particle simulation methods to composite materials: a review

“…In the case of honeycomb structures [48,49], a part of the front face-sheet was modeled with SPH and was joined to a Lagrangian volume element grid, and shell elements were used for the honeycomb core. Optimization of the Whipple shield system has been investigated by combining the coupled FE-SPH simulation with optimization techniques [50,51].…”

Design and optimization of spin micro-generator's rotating rack used in trajectory correction fuze under high-impact loadings

“…Son et al. 10 performed the parameter optimization process to improve the protection ability of stuffed Whipple shield through the design of experiment and the response surface methodology. Simpson et al.…”

Optimisation using smoothed particle hydrodynamics with volume-based geometry control

“…Work in structural optimisation has been accomplished by Yamada et al (2013) using the moving particle semi-implicit (MPS) method (similar to SPH but with a different differential operator), where a level set parameterisation was applied to optimise a structure under transverse loading to arrive at a truss-like configuration. Son et al (2015) used a structural SPH model for optimisation of a shield to protect against space debris, using panel thicknesses as design variables and using a design of experiment/response surface technique to find an optimum.…”