Penetration Survivable Advanced Energetics

It is well established that the heterogeneity of energetic materials at the mesoscale localizes deformation energy, generating “hot spots”. It is imperative to understand the nature of hot spot spatial distributions, as their coalescence leads to sustainable reaction. Given the difficulties in determining hot spot distributions experimentally, this is an ideal scenario for contributions via numerical simulation. However, important mesoscale details are only partially known, including detailed material morphology, inelastic material properties, and appropriate interfacial physics models. Here we propose simplifying the problem by examining two-dimensional surrogate materials with simplified morphologies and interfacial physics, permitting extensive validation data to be obtained. Molecular dynamics simulations will calibrate models for frictional sliding between grains and in cracks, including melting. A particle simulation technology that has been demonstrated to handle interfacial physics exceptionally robustly and efficiently will be validated and then used to resolve hot spot spatial distributions. By examining pristine and damaged systems, the importance of certain mesoscale characteristics will be isolated, and conclusions drawn regarding sensitivity to penetration events. A validated simulation capability will demonstrate the application of existing technology to a tailored, complex system, and provide a firm foundation for examining more realistic systems, and developing improved engineering material models.