Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Effects of Air and Underwater Blast on Composite Sandwich Panels and Tubular Laminate Structures

  • Published:
Experimental Mechanics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The resistance of glass-fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) sandwich panels and laminate tubes to blast in air and underwater environments has been studied. Procedures for monitoring the structural response of such materials during blast events have been devised. High-speed photography was employed during the air-blast loading of GFRP sandwich panels, in conjunction with digital image correlation (DIC), to monitor the deformation of these structures under shock loading. Failure mechanisms have been revealed by using DIC and confirmed in post-test sectioning. Strain gauges were used to monitor the structural response of similar sandwich materials and GFRP tubular laminates during underwater shocks. The effect of the backing medium (air or water) of the target facing the shock has been identified during these studies. Mechanisms of failure have been established such as core crushing, skin/core cracking, delamination and fibre breakage. Strain gauge data supported the mechanisms for such damage. These studies were part of a research programme sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) investigating blast loading of composite naval structures. The full-scale experimental results presented here will aid and assist in the development of analytical and computational models. Furthermore, it highlights the importance of support and boundary conditions with regards to blast resistant design.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16
Fig. 17
Fig. 18
Fig. 19
Fig. 20

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Neuberger A, Peles S, Rittel D (2007) Scaling the response of circular plates subjected to large and close-range spherical explosions. Part I: Air-blast loading. Int J Impact Eng 34(5):859–873

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Neuberger A, Peles S, Rittel D (2007) Scaling the response of circular plates subjected to large and close-range spherical explosions. Part II: Buried charges. Int J Impact Eng 34(5):874–882

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Tekalur SA, Shukla A, Shivakumar K (2008) Blast resistance of polyurea based layered composite materials. Compos Struct 84(3):271–281

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Tekalur SA, Shivakumar K, Shukla A (2008) Mechanical behavior and damage evolution in E-glass vinyl ester and carbon composites subjected to static and blast loads. Composites B 39(1):57–65

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Tekalur SA, Bogdanovich AE, Shukla A (2009) Shock loading response of sandwich panels with 3-D woven E-glass composite skins and stitched foam core. Compos Sci Technol 69(6):736–753

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Hoo Fatt MS, Palla L (2009) Analytical modeling of composite sandwich panels under blast loads. J Sandwich Struct Mater 11(4):357–380

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Wang EH, Shukla A (2010) Analytical and experimental evaluation of energies during shock wave loading. Int J Impact Eng 37(12):1188–1196

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Jackson M, Shukla A Performance of sandwich composites subjected to sequential impact and air blast loading. Comp Part B: Eng. In Press, Corrected Proof

  9. Cole RH (1948) Underwater explosions. Princeton Univ. Press

  10. Hetherington JG, Smith PD (1994) Blast and ballistic loading of structures. Butterworth Heinmann

  11. Panciroli R, Abrate S (2009) Dynamic response of sandwich shells to underwater blasts. In: ICCM 17. Edinburgh, IOM Communications

  12. Deshpande VS, Heaver A, Fleck NA (2006) An underwater shock simulator. Proc R Soc A Math Phys Eng Sci 462(2067):1021–1041

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  13. Espinosa HD (2009) Performance of composite panels subjected to underwater impulsive loading. in ONR 2009 Solid Mechanics Program. UMUC, Maryland

  14. LeBlanc J, Shukla A (2010) Dynamic response and damage evolution in composite materials subjected to underwater explosive loading: an experimental and computational study. Compos Struct 93(3):1060–1071

    Google Scholar 

  15. Rajendran R, Paik JK, Lee JM (2007) Of underwater explosion experiments on plane plates. Exp Tech 31(1):18–24

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Biggs JM (1964) Introduction to structural dynamics. McGraw-Hill Book Company

  17. Deegan M (2010) Email - Strain gauge application to underwater explosive events

  18. Kwon YW, Fox PK (1993) Underwater shock response of a cylinder subjected to a side-on explosion. Comput Struct 48(4):637–646

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Gibson LJ, Ashby MF (1997) Cellular solids, structure and properties. Second ed. Cambridge Solid State Science. Cambridge University Press

  20. Reid WD (1996) The response of surface ships to underwater explosions, Department of Defence, Defence Science and Technology Organisation

Download references

Acknowledgements

Much appreciated is the strong support received from Dr Yapa Rajapakse of the Office of Naval Research (ONR N00014-08-1-1151) in particular for Hari Arora. We also acknowledge the Metropolitan Police and CPNI for use of the test cubicles and other equipment, GL Industrial for the use of their facilities and support on site, SP Gurit for provision of materials and GOM mbH for access to latest DIC equipment during the air-blast trials.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ, UK

    H. Arora, P. A. Hooper & J. P. Dear

Authors
  1. H. Arora
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. P. A. Hooper
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. J. P. Dear
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. P. Dear.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Arora, H., Hooper, P.A. & Dear, J.P. The Effects of Air and Underwater Blast on Composite Sandwich Panels and Tubular Laminate Structures. Exp Mech 52, 59–81 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11340-011-9506-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11340-011-9506-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation