3-D nondestructive imaging techniques for mesoscale damage analysis of composite materials

ABSTRACT: An experimental and computational effort is proposed to develop a data-driven experimentally-validated framework for analysis of plastically bonded energetic materials at meso and micro scales. A unique data-mining strategy and model reduction technology based on thermodynamics and manifold learning techniques and on nonlocal dispersive reduced order model will be devised. Reduced order methods will capture the particle-matrix decohesion, matrix tearing, and nonlinear viscoelastic behavior of a binder using constitutive laws calibrated at the mesoscale from the micro-CT experiments and digital database created by computational homogenization method. Novel microtomography based experimental protocols for multiscale model validation will be developed as well. The detailed understanding gained through these co-designed simulations and experiments will have a profound impact on the development of new continuum constitutive theories and design of novel energetic materials. BENEFIT: Demolition, mining, seismic prospecting, geographical mapping, explosive welding, detonating cord (cased or bare) and prospecting rely on energetic materials, such as high explosives, for successful work. Plastically bonded explosives (PBE) consist of particulate solid high explosives embedded in a polymer matrix. As such, they rely on weak forces for adhesion between the explosive particles and binder material, which are highly influenced by the morphology of the microstructure. In order to predict the performance of these PBEs it is necessary to resolve their microstructural behavior with sufficient detail. The vast majority of multiscale constitutive models today are based on low-order statistics, e.g., volume fractions. Therefore, image-based modeling we propose offers a clear and compelling advantage. In contrast to much of the existing work on analysis of PBEs, the proposed work will capture the underlying physics at the meso and micro scales, and ultimately, will result in safer and more effective explosives.