Numerical plastic response and failure of a pre-notched transversely impacted beam

You are here: Homepage > Search

Numerical plastic response and failure of a pre-notched transversely impacted beam

Villavicencio, R. / Soares, C. Guedes

In this paper, numerical simulations of drop weight impact tests examining the plastic response and failure of clamped pre-notched beams struck transversely by a mass with a hemispherical indenter are presented. The simulations aim at proposing techniques for defining the material and restraints on finite element models which analyse the structural crashworthiness of ships in collision and grounding scenarios. The mesh size and the critical failure strain are predicted by numerical simulations of the tensile tests used to obtain the mechanical properties of the material. The experimental boundary conditions are modelled in order to represent the axial displacements at the supports and the reacting forces developed during the impact. The beams are studied in terms of their force–displacement response during the impact event, which gives good agreement between experimental and numerical results. The shape of the failure modes is well predicted by the finite element model when a finer mesh is used. Comments on the stress and strain distribution at the impact point and the energy partitioning during the impact are included.