Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	EP/I037547/1
Title:	A numerical simulator for the prediction of the effects of Improvised Explosive Devices
Principal Investigator:	Bennett, Dr T
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department:	Civil and Structural Engineering
Organisation:	University of Sheffield
Scheme:	First Grant - Revised 2009
Starts:	01 August 2012	Ends:	31 August 2013	Value (£):	97,204
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Ground Engineering Numerical Analysis
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Aerospace, Defence and Marine
Related Grants:
Panel History:	Panel Date Panel Name Outcome 08 Sep 2011 Process Environment & Sustainability Announced
Summary on Grant Application Form
The major threat in the combat arena to the safety of UK armed forces has been the devastating effects of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) on military vehicles and their occupants. In order to mitigate this threat, for example in the design of suitable vehicle appliqué and passenger seating arrangements, the blast loadings from buried charges need to be characterised. Experimental studies of IEDs are absolutely vital, but are expensive to conduct. Therefore, a numerical simulator capable of capturing the key effects of IEDs is required to perform virtual studies. The loading generated in buried charges is highly dependant upon the the response of the soil in which these devices are buried, both in terms of the blast wave in the surrounding air and the impact of soil particles. The response of the soil is highly dependant upon the level of water saturation and the gas pressures developed within the pore space. The soil affected by the charge will undergo gross deformations which will require specialist treatment numerically, beyond the capabilities of conventional continuum mechanics frameworks. In order that the threat posed to the vehicle occupants may be mitigated, a fundamental understanding of the loads applied to vehicles by these devices is required. The intended primary impact of this research is the development of a numerical simulator. The understanding of the blast loading resulting from IEDs will lead to improved design of mitigating measures for existing and future military hardware. The project will benefit defence researchers and contractors charged with the evaluation of retrofitting technologies for the mitigation of the threat posed by IEDs. The essential model reduction focus of the research will inform specialists of which aspects of the problem physics are key, and cannot be ignored. This numerical simulator will help allow engineers to make more objective decisions on the likely safety of vehicle occupants, and therefore has the clear potential to save lives.
Key Findings
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Potential use in non-academic contexts
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Impacts
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher
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Project URL:
Further Information:
Organisation Website:	http://www.shef.ac.uk