Novel Penetrator Cases for Explosive and Fuze Survivability

This Phase II effort will develop advanced penetrator case designs, as well as the supporting computational approaches and applied materials research necessary to advance the TRL.Phase II penetrator designs will use novel structural concepts to maximize charge-to-mass ratio, increase fuse survivability, and provide high lethality fragment projection capability.The design approach will take advantage of 3D printing SLM technologies to fabricate structures not possible with traditional subtractive methods.A primary end-goal of this effort will be an advanced design for a highly lethal multi-role munition capable of surviving penetration through multi-floor commercial concrete construction.The final design concepts, in part or as a whole, must be appropriate transition from TRL 5 with efforts that might immediately follow a successful Phase II.Phase II will further the necessary development of predicative computational capabilities specific to advanced penetrator design.This component of the effort will address modeling of the specific novel structures and materials found to be both effective and feasible in Phase I.Optimization methods, including topology optimization, will be used in the design approach.The result will be appropriate material parameters and design methods that will make possible more efficient engineering tools and better predictive capability.