Simulation of Water Impact Problems Using the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics Method

Abstract

This paper describes recent results of water impact simulations using the Smoothed Hydrodynamic Method (SPH) available in the explicit finite element code PAM-CRASH. In a first part, the principles, on which the SPH method is based, namely the kernel and the particle approximations, are discussed. Secondly, the strategy followed for the next simulations and the material model used for water are briefly described. The methodology and the material model are then validated with the simulations of rigid wedge specimens with various deadrises and a deformable aluminium WG 30 helicopter sub-floor structure impacting vertically on water. For all these simulations, calculated acceleration and pressure time histories are compared to measured data. Agreements and discrepancies between tests and simulations are discussed. Finally, some promising results of a ditching simulation with a full aircraft model are presented.