2 research outputs found
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The dynamic response of a weapon`s internal components to a high speed impact
The dynamic response of a weapon`s internal components to an accident is critical in determining the safety of a weapon. The primary objective of this study was to determine the safety of the weapon based on the acceleration histories of its safety components. The accident scenario was a 80 feet/second impact of the weapon onto a railroad rail. Large deformations and many contacts were expected due to the severity of the impact condition. The complexity of this analysis required a nonlinear finite element code which could track many contact surfaces simultaneously and simulate material failure using element death. The damage to the structure and its contents was simulated using PRONTO3D (an explicit finite element code developed at Sandia National Laboratories). Some of PRONTO3D`s advanced features used in the calculations included the self-contacting algorithms, material death, and rigid body mechanics. Throughout the analysis, a large number of mechanical contacts, both normal and sliding with friction, were detected and tracked by PRONT03D. The analysis predicted large deformations and material failure that took the form of tears in the aluminum shroud and in the housing of the components. The predicted acceleration histories were then used to determine if the components remained functional
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Crashworthiness of the AT-400A shipping container
Shipping containers used for transporting radioactive material must be certified using federal regulations. These regulations require the container be tested or evaluated in severe mechanical and thermal environments which represent hypothetical accident scenarios. The containers are certified if the inner container remains leaktight. This paper presents results from finite element simulations of the accidents which include subjecting the AT-400A (for Pu from dismantled nuclear weapons) to a 30-foot (9 m) drop onto an unyielding target and crushing the container with an 1100 lb (500 kg) steel plate dropped from 30 feet. The nonlinear PRONTO3D finite element results were validated using test results. The simulations of the various impacts and crushes identified trends and worst-case orientations. They also showed that there is a significant margin of safety based on the failure of the containment vessel