Blast response of composite pipeline structure using finite element techniques

Abstract

This paper investigates the blast response of a glass fiber reinforced polymer pipeline using explicit finite element analysis. In this study, a fluid-structure interaction methodology was employed to obtain the deformation and damage of pipeline under explosive impact using LS-DYNA. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the influence of the stand-off distance, the tube diameter, the internal pressure of tube and the explosive quantity on dynamic response of composite pipe. Simulations were carried out not only in the case of empty pipe but also in the case of water-filled pipe with different internal pressures. The analysis was performed in two phases; initialization phase, where the pressurization and gravity loads are applied on the pipeline, and the blast phase. Comparing the analysis results, it was proved that the internal pressure influences significantly the deformation of the tube. The results of the present study can serve as a reference guide for the prediction of pipe response under blast loading, since no guidelines exist in pipeline standards for design under blast loading conditions.