Date of Award

2023

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics

Department

Mechanical, Industrial and Systems Engineering

First Advisor

Arun Shukla

Abstract

The interaction between gas bubbles resulting from an underwater explosive (UNDEX) event and a nearby, flat structure has been experimentally investigated. Two flat plate types were studied, a thick steel plate that is relatively rigid, and a thin aluminum plate that is relatively flexible. Two different explosive standoffs were investigated, as well as two different hydrostatic pressures of the surrounding fluid. Standoff distances were chosen based on a ratio, called the dimensionless standoff parameter, which compares the standoff distance to the bubble’s maximum radius at a certain hydrostatic pressure. High-speed photography was used for two purposes: capturing the interaction between the bubble and the structure, and capturing frames of the speckled side of the plate for the purpose of three-dimensional digital image correlation (DIC) analysis. Results show that the explosive standoff distance, plate stiffness, and hydrostatic pressure alter the bubble’s shape, size, migration speed, migration direction, jetting behavior, and damage to the nearby plate. The UNDEX bubble’s collapse and concurrent bubble jetting are shown to be the primary causes of plate damage, including rupture, for the dimensionless standoff parameters studied.

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