Towards a computational framework for coupling contact and fragmentation in impact modelling

Abstract

The rising number of objects in low Earth orbit heightens the likelihood of orbital debris impact on spacecrafts at an increasingly fast pace. Thus, the need for lightweight shielding from hypervelocity impacts has grown considerably. Direct observation of hypervelocity impacts are almost impossible and experimental campaigns are expensive, and so numerical simulation has become a fundamental tool for hypervelocity impact modelling. These simulations involve multiple coupled physics mechanism, including fragmentation and stress waves propagation. While various simulation techniques exist for this problem, none effectively capture the interaction between fragmentation and stress wave propagation within the velocity range relevant to orbital impacts while being suitable for modelling of full-scale satellite fragmentation events. The objective of this thesis is to address this limitation by proposing an approach for a fragmentation framework based the Discontinuous Galerkin/Cohesive Zone Method finite element formulation and the Decomposition Contact Response contact algorithm.