Composite Material Modeling for Blast Protection

Replacement of the heavy metallic materials with light weight composite materials in the USMC vehicle crew protection kit (CPK) presents an opportunity for large weight savings with a pay-off in increased pay load and mobility. Analytical tools were used very successfully during the design optimization of the original metallic structure, and the need for design analyses specific to the properties, behavior and failure modes of composite material concepts has been recognized. However, the development of such tools has lagged behind their need. The objective of this program is to develop an integrated design tool for composite structures under blast conditions, and to apply it to develop lightweight concepts for the CPK application. This objective will be achieved by developing: a design oriented composite material constitutive model; an estimation procedure for blast load definition; and integration of these with an efficient hydrocode; and a parametric approach to the definition of design variables.