IMPACT: Impulse Modeling with Physics-Anchored CNN Tool

Since underground nuclear testing was stopped, the Department of Defense has utilized multiple types of simulators to impart impulse loads to materials, structures, and systems. Recently, it has become possible to utilize lasers to impart relevant impulses directly on material coupon samples and 3D structures on the 1 cm2 to 1,000 cm2 scale, with or without the use of transparent tampers.The impulse imparted into a material, structure, or system depends on the laser parameters (energy, pulse shape, wavelength), tamper parameters (material, thickness, adhesion layer), and substrate material thickness and geometry. It is possible to model the relevant physics and material interactions to predict the resulting impulse for a given set of parameters. However, a predictive tool for experimental design does not exist, which could work backwards from a desired impulse profile to determine the appropriate laser and tamper parameters.The overall objective of this SBIR effort will be to develop a fast-running modeling approach for determining the necessary laser and tamper parameters to achieve a desired impulse on a material or 3D structure of interest. Protection Engineering Consultants (PEC) has teamed with Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) to develop a novel physics-based fast-running model solution for this requirement. We propose a hybrid methodology that leverages significant prior development undertaken for AFRL and MDA, which is called IMPACT.