A Virtual Test Facility for Simulating Detonation-Induced Fracture of Thin Flexible Shells

The fluid-structure interaction simulation of detonation- and shock-wave-loaded fracturing thin-walled structures requires numerical methods that can cope with large deformations as well as topology changes. We present a robust level-set-based approach that integrates a Lagrangian thin shell finite element solver with fracture and fragmentation capabilities with an Eulerian Cartesian detonation solver with optional dynamic mesh adaptation. As an application example, the rupture of a thin aluminum tube due to the passage of an ethylene-oxygen detonation wave is presented.