Modeling Mitigation Effects of Watershield on Shock Waves

Abstract

The object of this analysis is to investigate mitigation effects of watershield on air blast waves. To examine the water mitigation concept, features of the free-field detonation process are studied from a series of one-dimensional simulations using a multimaterial Eulerian finite element technique. Five different shock Hugoniots for water are compared, and the most accurate data are suggested. To verify the numerical procedure, results are compared with available experimental data for UNDEX problem and analytical predictions for air shocks. For the case of contact watershield, the magnitude of peak pressure generally decreases and the shock arrival time increases with increasing thickness of watershield. The total pressure impulse is reduced significantly at near field. Non-contact watershield was also examined, and was found to provide a better design criterion based on the further decay of peak pressure.