Dynamic response of a hollow cylindrical shell subjected to a near-field underwater explosion

Abstract

To investigate the dynamic response of a hollow cylindrical shell structure subjected to a near-field underwater explosion, underwater explosion experiments were conducted in a 2 × 2 × 2 m water tank, and high-speed cameras were used to record the interactions between the bubbles generated by the underwater explosion and the hollow cylindrical shell. The high-speed photography results showed that the cylindrical shell experienced a minor degree of deformation during the shock-wave stage. However, during the bubble-pulsation stage, the cylindrical shell experienced significant deformation that surpassed the deformation observed during the shock-wave stage. On this basis, combined with the damage results for the cylindrical shell, a numerical model for the hollow cylindrical shell subjected to an underwater explosion was established using LS-DYNA software. The dynamic process and damage mechanism of a hollow cylindrical shell that was subjected to a near-field underwater explosion were revealed by analyzing the pressures and strains of the shell elements, the velocities and displacements of the nodes, and the variations in the energy.