Research Summaries

Back Survivability Experimentation during RIMPAC SINKEX

Fiscal Year 2017
Division Graduate School of Engineering & Applied Science
Department Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
Investigator(s) Didoszak, Jarema M.
Kwon, Young W.
Sponsor U.S. Fleet Forces Command (Navy)
Summary Decommission Navy ships are used as targets and sunk during the live fire training conducted in the biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise. Such events offer a unique opportunity to collect data on the weapons effects and resulting damage within these ships. The main focus of the proposed work is to correlate overpressure data resulting from blast and impact of missile and other weapon threats with the anticipated survivability of ship crew members. Even though there is much information concerning explosions in open air, very limited research is available from explosions in the varied and confined passages and spaces of vessels operating in the maritime environment. Shipboard explosions present many challenges, not the least of which is the limited personal protective equipment worn by Sailors, the proximity to major equipment, confined spaces and other hazards. The measurement of blast over pressure with inexpensive and disposable sensors will enable us to provide a sound engineering model and validated simulation pressure gradients mapped against standoff from the explosion source while accounting for structural response, blast propagation and secondary damage effects. The measured and simulated data will then be compared with current modeling programs such as ONR's Human Injury and Treatment (HIT) program which ultimately predicts human injury and medical response requirements associated with weapon engagements in shipboard environments. Secondary objectives of wireless data transmission, improved vulnerability assessment and improved damage control will also be investigated.
Keywords Modeling & Simulation blast over-pressurization blunt force trauma crew member survivability underwater shock
Publications Publications, theses (not shown) and data repositories will be added to the portal record when information is available in FAIRS and brought back to the portal
Data Publications, theses (not shown) and data repositories will be added to the portal record when information is available in FAIRS and brought back to the portal