A Fail-Safe Controllable Magneto-Rheological Fluid Smart Pad/Damper System for Submarine Based Weapon Shock and Vibration Mitigation

"The goal of the proposed Phase I effort is a feasibility study on the design and development of an innovative, fail-safe, controllable magneto-rheological fluid (MRF) smart pad for shock and vibration mitigation of Trident submarine based vertical launchweapon systems. The objective of this project is to explore the design feasibility of the proposed MRF shock absorber system which consists of a MRF material, a fail-safe MRF damper, and a control system. The effort includes preparation of a MRF materialsystem suitable for this particular application. The properties of the base fluid and magnetic particles will be studied. In addition, a feasibility study of a novel MRF damper will be conducted in which the magnetic circuit and orifices will be designedto meet the shock pad requirements. Moreover, a robust control system that can provide accurate and fast response will be developed. Numerical simulations will be performed to demonstrate the capabilities of the MRF damper's dynamic force range andcontrol design. The MRF shock pad design will be extensively evaluated against current elastomeric pad technology. Emphasis will also be placed on applicability to other emerging sectors especially automotive industry. Advanced weapon shock and vibrationmitigation systems require reliable, fast responding, controllable devices with a broad range of damping forces to effectively reduce vibration during possible impacts. Modified version