Fluid-structure interactions- Dynamic behavior of structures subjected to the effects of underwater explosions

This article focuses on modeling the behavior of submerged structures subjected to pressure waves. This issue is of particular interest to the military shipbuilding industry, where it is necessary to demonstrate the resistance of ship hulls and equipment to the effects of a distant underwater explosion.

This problem involves fluid/structure coupling phenomena that can be represented using various numerical or analytical models, providing engineers with a set of tools they can use.

This article provides an introduction to this issue, presenting the main concepts, models and methods for describing the pressure loading experienced by a submerged structure (e.g. a ship's hull) or the behavior of an onboard structure (e.g. equipment in the ship) in response to the motion imparted to the structure by this loading.

The presentation focuses in particular on methods for calculating the dynamic response of a structure to a shock (representing the effect of the explosion inside the ship); it details the possible representations of the shock (time or frequency domain) and the numerical approaches available to the engineer (temporal or spectral). This aspect of the problem is general and concerns other situations encountered in mechanical engineering, in the space sector, civil engineering, transport, etc., e.g. for the resistance of structures to pyrotechnic or handling shocks, as well as to the effects of earthquakes or airborne explosions.

Readers will find these references in the "Further reading" section of this article. An additional bibliography and links to websites provide useful resources for furthering knowledge on the subject.

A table of acronyms and notations is provided at the end of the article.