Multiphysics Modeling Framework for Raindrop-Induced Material Damage

The survivability of hypersonic vehicles in adverse weather conditions, particularly in rain, is difficult to predict due to the complex interaction of fluid dynamics, material response, and the stochastic nature of atmospheric phenomena. To address this need, we propose to develop a highly efficient, fully integrated multiphysics simulation framework to model raindrop impacts on hypersonic vehicles. This framework will couple advanced multiphase CFD capabilitiesófeaturing sharp gas-liquid interface tracking and droplet breakupówith a peridynamics-based material modeling tool. The integrated approach will enable high-fidelity prediction of high-strain-rate responses, including crack initiation, propagation, and cumulative surface damage in thermal protection systems (TPS). In Phase I, we will enhance an existing fluidñstructure interaction framework by incorporating phase change effects, adaptive meshing, and automated mesh generation. A peridynamics solver will be coupled to model advanced material behavior under impact conditions. Model validation will be performed using experimental data for both raindropñvehicle interaction and waterdrop-induced failure in sapphire specimens. In Phase II, the framework will be extended to model shielding effects and ejecta generation, automate adaptive mesh refinement and solution workflows, and validate the entire system using experimental datasets on realistic hypersonic vehicle geometries. We will also assess vehicle aerodynamic stability under surface deformation (including force and moment changes) and optimize the computational tool for emerging GPU-accelerated high-performance computing platforms.