Innovative Multiphase Models for Enhanced Blast Effects

Under the subject topic, the Air Force calls for the development of models that enable physically accurate numerical simulations of multiphase blasts with metallic reactive materials. To adequately model such blast problems, an M&S framework is required that couples a CFD code with a computational structural dynamics (CSD) code. The CSD code will be equipped with constitutive material models that can predict the mechanical behavior and fragmentation of the RM under study. The coupling approach will include a mass transfer algorithm that sends the fragmented RM particles from the CSD code to the multiphase CFD code in order to track the movement and combustion of the particles. The CFD code will utilize Quadrature Based Method Moments (QBMM) which are a class of numerical methods to provide mathematical closures for moment transport equations by using Gaussian quadrature. The QBMM approach will be used to represent a distribution of particle sizes in a computationally scalable and physically sensible manner.