Numerical simulation study on the damage characteristics of ship structures subjected to annular-shaped charge explosion

Toward the development of underwater weapon warheads, this study adopted a new annular-shaped charge structure to effectively penetrate and destroy ship structures. First, a numerical simulation study was conducted on the damage induced by an annular-shaped charge on double-layer target plates and double-layer stiffened target plates in shallow water and underwater conditions. Subsequently, a comparative analysis was conducted on the damage characteristics and explosion process of the two types of plates subjected to shallow water and underwater explosions produced by the annular-shaped charge. In the case of shallow water explosion, the annular projectile could penetrate both the types of plates. The projectile generated in the underwater explosion penetrated the first layer of the target plate and caused significant plastic deformation, forming four petals around the hole; however, it could not penetrate the second target plate. The diameter of the hole produced by the shallow water explosion was 1.27 and 1.23 times that of the hole produced by the underwater explosion, respectively. In the case of the shallow water explosion, the stress variation range of the double-layer stiffened plate (1.267 × 10 −2 –1.166 × 10 −2 Mbar) was the same as that of the double-layer stiffened plate (1.284 × 10 −2 –1.198 × 10 −2 Mbar). The stress variation range of the double-layer plate (1.197 × 10 −2 –9.940 × 10 −3 Mbar) was evidently different from that of the double-layer stiffened plate (1.209 × 10 −2 –1.188 × 10 −2 Mbar), and the stiffened plate exhibited a significant stress variation in the case of the underwater explosion. These results show that the proposed annular-shaped charge can produce greater damage to ship structures in shallow waters than in underwater conditions.