Blast loading of double-layer gradient cellular sacrificial claddings

Understanding the dynamic crushing behavior of cellular materials is crucial for designing protective structures, which provide an effective approach for blast protection of aircraft, carriers and other engineering facilities. In this paper the resistance of double-layer gradient cellular sacrificial claddings to blast loadings was investigated analytically and numerically. Four cellular cores of sacrificial claddings, i.e. Positive-Positive, Positive-Negative, Negative-Positive, and Negative-Negative, are designed. Analytical models are developed to predict the dynamic response of sacrificial claddings. Employing 2D Voronoi method, finite element (FE) simulations are performed to validate the accuracy of the analytical models. The effects of the density distribution pattern and the plate mass distribution on the dynamic response and the energy absorption are explored and identified. It is shown that the different density gradient distribution patterns of cellular materials can give rise to the propagation modes of multi-shock waves. The plate mass pattern has significant influence on the energy absorption of sacrificial claddings.