Numerical simulation of the coupled response of stiffened structures subjected to explosion bubble loading

Numerical simulations of the dynamics of explosion bubbles and their interactions with stiffened structures are performed using the three-dimensional boundary integral method (BIM) in conjunction with the finite element method (FEM). The BIM is used to investigate the bubble’s physical characteristics, while the FEM is employed to calculate the structural response. This study aims to develop a procedure that considers multiple factors, such as fluid–structure interactions, non-spherical bubble oscillation, transient dynamic response, and stiffening patterns, to investigate the transient response of a structure subjected to an explosion bubble. Code validation comparisons between the numerical results, the analytically bubble model, and the experimental data are carried out. For the stiffened structure, the results indicate that significant effects of various strengthening strategies on the structural deformation are observed, including modification of the deformation pattern and the bubble loading. The effects of the stiffening schemes on the pressure distributions of the bodies, the bubble dynamics, and the structural response characteristics are investigated, including a higher frequency oscillation superimposed on a lower frequency motion in the vertical direction, during the various bubble evolution phases.