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MCML-Purdue team receives a new grant from AFOSR

Posted by on Friday, January 9, 2015 in News.

Title: Multiscale Experiments and Modeling of Dynamic Energetic Material Failure including Stochastic Interfaces

Vanderbilt Team : MCML
Purdue Team : Dr. Vikas Tomar and Dr. Emre Gunduz

Source of Support : Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Dynamic Materials and Interactions Program.

Program Manager Dr. Jennifer Jordan.

Synopsis:
The goal of this research is to develop a computational framework that is capable of predicting the response of heterogeneous energetic materials subjected to dynamic loads as a function of stochastic, rate-dependent interface properties. To achieve this research goal, we will conduct a combined experimental/computational investigation of the dynamic response of a candidate heterogeneous energetic material (Polymer (i.e., epoxy)-bonded HMX) subjected to dynamic loading conditions. The two key achievements of this research will be (1) analysis of the mesoscale response of the heterogeneous material based on a stochastic framework, in which the uncertainty in the material properties (particularly dynamic interface properties) and morphology at the mesoscale is accounted for; and (2) development of an effective upscaling methodology, which will allow efficient and accurate macroscale simulation of the dynamic response, while also predicting bounds on the energetic material behavior.
This project will address two of the key technical challenges before reliable response prediction of heterogeneous energetic materials can be achieved. The first challenge is the characterization and fundamental understanding of the influence of interfacial energetic and dynamic mechanical properties, and the associated uncertainties, on the failure response. Despite high interfacial volume fractions, the past computational and experimental investigations on the dynamic behavior of polycrystalline energetic materials (e.g., HMX) have rarely included this critical failure mode. The second challenge is the accurate and efficient simulation of the energetic material at the bulk scale, while including the mesoscale, stochastic and interface effects. The continuum models that have the computational efficiency needed to solve such a system, do not adequately account for the complex shock and deformation wave propagation and interactions that occur within heterogeneous materials.