Computational assessment of the blast‐mitigation efficacy of an air‐vacated protective‐buffer concept

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess the blast‐mitigation potential and the protection ability of an air‐vacated buffer placed in front of a target structure under realistic combat‐theatre conditions.

Design/methodology/approach

The blast‐mitigation efficacy of the air‐vacated buffer concept is investigated computationally using a combined Eulerian‐Lagrangian (CEL) fluid‐structure interaction (FSI) finite‐element analysis.

Findings

The two main findings resulting from the present work are: the air‐vacated buffer concept yields significant blast‐mitigation effects; and the buffer geometry and vacated‐air material‐state parameters (e.g. pressure, mass density, etc.) may significantly affect the extent of the blast‐mitigation effect.

Originality/value

The main contribution of the present work is a demonstration of the critical importance of timely deployment of the buffer relative to the arrival of the incident wave in order to fully exploit the air‐vacated buffer concept.

Citation

Grujicic, M., Snipes, J.S., Chandrasekharan, N. and Ramaswami, S. (2013), "Computational assessment of the blast‐mitigation efficacy of an air‐vacated protective‐buffer concept", Multidiscipline Modeling in Materials and Structures, Vol. 9 No. 2, pp. 214-242. https://doi.org/10.1108/MMMS-04-2013-0029