Damage Evolution and Frictional Heating in a PBX Microstructure
Abstract
In this study, dynamic crack propagation in brittle materials has been studied using a regularized phase field approach.The phase field model used has been validated using specific experimental results of a dynamic in-plane fracture. The crack branching phenomena and existence of a limiting crack tip velocity has been validated using a mode I simulation set-up. A parametric study has also been performed so as to normalize the various numerical parameters that affect the velocity at the crack tip. Following the validation of the phase field model a stochastic analysis of a PBX microstructure has been performed. The microstructure has a high HMX volume fraction of 79%. The energetic material is HMX and the binder used is Sylgard. Artificial defects are introduced in the system using phase field cracks. The analysis uses a finite element framework that accounts for various thermal-mechanical processes like deformation, heat generation, conduction, fracture and frictional heating at the crack surfaces. The effect on the temperature and damage field due to varying parameters like loading velocities and critical energy release rates is studied. Critical hotspot formation due to localized frictional heating is also studied. A concept of dirty binder is introduced to increase the grain volume fraction of the energetic in the composite. This amounts to a homogenized binder that accounts for the influence of the subsume particles that do not contribute to fracture but affect material properties of the binder.
Degree
M.Sc.
Advisors
Koslowski, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Energy|Polymer chemistry|Thermodynamics
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