A Numerical Investigation on the Response of Load Relieving Notches Subjected to Shock Wave Loading

Hydrocode simulations were conducted to analyze the non-linear response of 1100-O aluminum plates with semi-circular notches. Plates with constant notch depth and notch root radius were loaded (normal to the notch-tip plane) to the same shock stress while the notch spacing was varied. The resulting stress distributions were analyzed at specific locations between adjacent notches and then the maximum tensile stress developed was determined for different notch spacing. The results show that the maximum tensile stress developed in the target material was found to be a function of notch spacing. Contrary to the case for quasi-static loading where a decrease in notch spacing leads to a decrease in maximum stress, it was determined that the resulting maximum tensile stress for the shock wave loading case decreases when the notch spacing is increased. Numerical results obtained were validated using plate impact experiments. A macrocrack was observed in the vicinity of the maximum tensile region for the smallest notch spacing, while no macrocrack was observed for the largest spacing.