Shock Waves and Directed Energy Effects

SRI's Poulter Laboratory has a strong computational capability for analysis of shock waves and directed energy effects (such as from lasers, X-rays, electron beams, or ion beams). Computations determine impact and thermomechanical response of target configurations suitable for failure mode analyses. Under high strain-rate conditions, fragmentation of targets results in the generation of shrapnel particle debris.

Examples of this can occur by projectile (or particle) impact or by irradiative loading of objects in the target chambers of large laser and plasma-radiation source machines. Material models include many types: homogeneous, heterogeneous, anisotropic, porous and non-porous, energetic materials, and composites, and fabrics. Many of these models describe failure in terms of void or crack nucleation and growth to fragmentation of the material. Shock wave models are based on correlations with laboratory and irradiative simulator data.