Anti-Terrorism - Survivability and Denial

The attack against the USS Cole clearly showed the vulnerability of surface ships to close-in attack from an explosive charge. The objective of this proposal is to examine technologies that offer enhanced protection of ships against asymmetric attackusing high explosives. The concepts to be investigated include the use of energy absorption sandwich panels using various core designs such as corrugated and egg box construction. New steel alloys that have far superior strength and energy absorptioncapability than currently used ship hull steel will be investigated as the sandwich panel face material. Simple analytic models will be used to estimate bending and membrane resistance to airblast and underwater shock as well as energy absorption duringlarge plastic deformation. Sensitivity studies considering face plate thickness, separation of face plates and core density will be conducted to determine optimum design/designs based on weight and construction costs. Typical ship hull panelsapproximately 40 feet by 40 feet constructed from the optimum sandwich design will be analyzed using finite-element hydrocodes. The resistance to ship holing will be determined as a function of charge size and standoff. Design of innovative sandwich shiphull panels using high-energy absorbing materials has the potential of protecting vital areas of the ship from close-in explosive attack thereby preventing the loss of life. The high-strength panel design can be used in future ship design as well asexternal additions as backfit to current ships. The principal user of the technology would be NAVSEA in the design of ships, and commercial ship builders in the construction of combatants and merchant ships. High-energy absorbing materials would also bevery effective in preventing damage to merchant ships during collisions with another ship or obstacle.