Research on the structural response of clamp-structured vehicles during high-speed water entry

To investigate the reliability of the clamp-structure vehicle during high-speed water entry impact, this paper establishes a numerical model for water entry impact based on the structured arbitrary Lagrange–Euler (S-ALE) algorithm. The numerical model is verified for grid independence and accuracy. On this basis, the variation trend of the acceleration of the clamp-structure vehicle during water entry is first studied. Then, based on the pattern of the acceleration curve, the working mechanism and load characteristics of the clamp structure are analyzed. Finally, the influence of different clamp structural parameters (groove wall thickness, groove cavity depth, clamp thickness) on the deformation degree and peak stress of the clamp structure during water entry impact is further examined. The results show that during the water entry impact of the clamp-structure vehicle, interaction between shell segments causes the clamp structure to undergo repeated compression and tension, with the mass concentration position having a significant effect on the clamp structure. Under different structural parameters of groove wall thickness, groove cavity depth, and clamp thickness, the deformation and stress of the clamp structure vary considerably, further affecting its reliability. When the groove wall thickness exceeds 3 mm or the groove cavity depth exceeds 3.5 mm, the clamp structure remains normally connected, achieving optimal reliability.