Development of multi-physics numerical simulation model to investigate thermo-mechanical fatigue crack propagation in an autofrettaged gun barrel

In this research,a detailed multi-physics study has been carried out by numerically simulating a solid fractured gun barrel for 20 thermo-mechanical cycles.The numerical model is based on thermal effects,mechanical stress fields and fatigue crack mechanics.Elastic-plastic material data of modified AISI 4340 at temperatures ranging from 25 to 1200℃and at strain rates of 4,16,32 and 48 s^(-1) was acquired from high-temperature compression tests.This was used as material property data in the simulation model.The boundary conditions applied are kept similar to the working gun barrel during continuous firing.A methodology has been provided to define thermo-mechanically active surface-to-surface type interface between the crack faces for a better approximation of stresses at the crack tip.Comparison of results from non-autofrettaged and autofrettaged simulation models provide useful information about the evolution of strains and stresses in the barrel at different points under combined thermo-mechanical loading cycles in both cases.The effect of thermal fatigue under already induced compressive yield due to autofrettage and the progressive degradation of the accumulated stresses due to thermo-mechanical cyclic loads on the internal surface of the gun barrel(mimicking the continuous firing scenario)has been analyzed.Comparison between energy release rate at tips of varying crack lengths due to cyclic thermo-mechanical loading in the non-autofrettaged and autofrettaged gun has been carried out.

The detrimental effect of autofrettage on externally cracked modern tank gun barrels

Overstraining gun tubes has a twofold advantage. First, it enables the increase of the Safe Maximum Pressure(SMP) in the tube, resulting in a higher muzzle velocity which extends the gun's range and its projectile kinetic energy. Second, it reduces the tube's susceptibility to internal cracking which prolongs its fatigue life. Unfortunately, autofrettage also bears an inherent detrimental effect as it considerably increases the tensile hoop stress at the outer portion of the barrel's wall, which enhances external cracking of the tube by increasing the prevailing Stress Intensity Factor(SIF). In order to quantify this disadvantageous effect, 3-D Mode I SIFs distributions along the front of a single external radial semielliptical crack initiating from the outer surface of an autofrettaged modern gun barrel, overstrained by either the Swage or the Hydraulic autofrettage processes, are evaluated. The analysis is performed by the finite element(FE) method, using singular elements along the crack front. Innovative residual stress fields(RSFs), incorporating the Bauschinger effect for both types of autofrettage are applied to the barrel.Hill's [1] RSF is also applied to the tube for comparison reasons. All three RSFs are incorporated in the FE analysis, using equivalent temperature fields, Values for K_(IA)-the SIF resulting from the tensile residual stresses induced by autofrettage are evaluated for: a typical barrel of radii ratio R_o/R_i = 2, crack depth to wall-thickness ratios(a/t = 0.005-0.1),crack ellipticities(a/c = 0.2-1.0),and five levels of Swage,Hydraulic and Hill's autofrettage(e = 40%,60%,70%,80%,and 100%). In total,375 different 3-D cases are analyzed. The analysis demonstrates undoubtedly the detrimental effect of all types of autofrettage in increasing the prevailing effective stress intensity factor of external cracks, resulting in crack initiation enhancement and crack growth rate acceleration which considerably shortens the total fatigue life of the barrel. Nonetheless, the detrimental effect is autofrettage-type dependent. Swage and Hydraulic autofrettage RSFs differ substantially from each other. The disadvantageous effect of Swage autofrettage is much greater than that resulting from Hydraulic autofrettage. The results also emphasize the significance of the Bauschinger effect and the importance of the 3-D analysis.

Thermo-Mechanical Analysis of Water-Cooled Gun Barrel During Burst Firing

The thermo-mechanical stress and deformation of water-cooled gun barrel during burst firing are studied by finite element analysis (FEA). The problem is modeled in two steps: 1) A transient heat transfer analysis is first carried out in order to determine temperature evolution and to predict the residual temperatures during the burst firing event; 2) The thermo-mecha- nical stresses and deformation caused by both the residual temperature field and the gas pressure are then calculated. The results show that the residual temperature field tends to a steady state with the increasing of rounds. The residual temperature field has much effect on the gun barrel stress and deformation, especially on the assembly area between barrel and water jacket. The gage between the barrel and water jacket is the critical factor to the thermo- mechanical stress and deformation. The results of this analysis will be very useful to develop the new strength design theory of the liquid-cooled gun barrel.

Analysis of Heat Transfer in Actively Cooled Compound Gun Barrel

when a gun fires, a large amount of heat is brought in the barrel. Erosion/wear and security problems(self ignition of the propellant) associated with this high thermal energy have to be solved owing to the use of higher combustion gas temperature for improved cannon performance and firing at the sustained high rates. Barrel cooling technologies are the effective measures for addressing this issue. In view of the importance of having knowledge of the heat flux, an approach to calculate heat flux based on measurements was presented and validated. The calculated heat flux is used as the inner boundary condition for modeling heat transfer in a 155 mm mid-wall cooled compound gun barrel. Theoretical analysis and simulated results show that natural air cooling is dramatically slower than the forced liquid mid-wall cooling, accordingly wear life of actively cooled barrel is increased and barrel overheating is prevented.

Quantitative Testing of Defect for Gun Barrels

The magnetic flux leakage (MFL) method is commonly used in the nondestructive evaluation (NDE) of gun barrels. The key point of MFL testing is to estimate the crack geometry parameters based on the measured signal. The analysis of magnetic leakage fields can be obtained by solving Maxwell’s equations using finite element method (FEM). The radial component of magnetic flux density is measured in MFL testing. The peak-peak value, the separation distance between positive and negative peaks of signal and the lift-off value of Hall-sensor are used as the main features of every sample. This paper establishes the multi-regression equations related to the width (the depth) of crack and the main characteristic values. The regression model is tested by use of the magnetic leakage data. The experimental results indicate that the regression equations can accurately predict the 2-D defect geometry parameters and the MFL quantitative testing can be achieved.

基于射击时机的坦克射击门分析及改进

针对坦克的射击门控制逻辑,分析现有射击门在坦克高速行进条件下在射击时机判断上的不足,提出基于预测机制的射击门改进方法,该射击门在考虑射击时延和炮口切向速度影响的情况下,去除了身管必须满足进入简单射击门的角度约束,可更大限度地把握有效射击时机,数字仿真结果验证了改进射击门的优越性。

主成分分析和灰色模型组合的身管多点烧蚀磨损量预测

身管是火炮类武器的关键零件,对其烧蚀磨损量进行预测,有助于保持火炮作战效能。针对火炮身管沿轴向各点烧蚀磨损量需分别建立数学模型进行预测问题,提出一种组合烧蚀磨损量预测方法。采用主成分分析(principal component analysis,PCA)方法对身管多点烧蚀磨损量进行数据空间降维,提取反映烧蚀磨损量变化的主成分,利用灰色模型对主成分进行多步预测,通过PCA逆运算获得身管内膛多点烧蚀磨损量预测值。结果表明,在历史数据较少的条件下,通过选择合适的预测步数可获得较为准确的预测值,为身管内膛多点烧蚀磨损量的预测提供了一种新的有效途径。

枪管用环保镀层摩擦行为研究

传统枪管内膛表面采用的六价铬镀层,高温耐磨性好,但对环境污染严重。为开发环保镀层,采用超景深三维显微镜、扫描电子显微镜表征了室温和高温(400℃)摩擦磨损试样,对比分析了六价铬、三价铬、钴-镍和镍-钨四种电镀层的磨损特征。研究结果表明:在500℃定性回火后,三价铬、镍-钨、六价铬和钴-镍镀层硬度依次递减,与六价铬层相比,三价铬层脆性大,镍-钨和钴-镍镀层韧性高;室温下与H62黄铜对摩后,六价铬和三价铬镀层摩擦程度较轻,钴-镍和镍-钨镀层呈现明显粘着特征,二者摩擦系数高于两种铬层;400℃下与08Al钢对摩后,六价铬呈粘着磨损特征,摩擦程度较大;三价铬层摩擦系数相对较高;镍-钨镀层呈磨粒磨损特征,摩擦系数与六价铬接近,摩擦程度相对较轻。

模块装药短管炮实验及数值模拟研究

大口径加榴炮主要以模块装药结构为主,炮管内部流场复杂。基于模块装药结构,对短管炮内部燃烧场分区域建立二维轴对称两相流内弹道数理模型,采用MUSCL格式对该模型进行离散求解,编制程序对短管炮膛内流场进行了数值模拟,研究两模块装药结构在燃烧过程中的膛内流场特性以及不同破膜压力对两模块装药结构膛内燃烧的影响。仿真结果表明:与实验值相比,计算获得的膛内压力全局平均误差约为7.42%,峰值误差仅0.72%,说明所建立的内弹道数学模型与编制的程序能够较好地对两模块装药火炮发射过程进行数值模拟。模块药盒对火焰波的传递有阻碍作用,在模块药盒破裂之前,火焰波与压力波主要在模块内部流动,与外界物质交换较少。模块药盒破碎后,火药颗粒才随着压力波向膛内自由空间运动,火焰波和压力波开始在膛内传递。随着模块药盒破裂压力的增大,模块装药膛内发射药燃烧越充分,压力上升时间减少。点火药燃气从传火孔处向周围区域扩散,膛内温度也从传火孔处开始升高,逐渐向四周传导,从而点燃发射药。

基于PSD的火炮身管膛线精度测量数据补偿方法

针对火炮身管内部膛线测量技术及自动检测问题,提出一种精度测量数据补偿方法。搭建火炮内膛检测机器人测量系统。采用激光测距仪对火炮身管阴阳线内径进行测量,使用PSD激光位置传感器对火炮身管轴线与测量系统轴线的偏心距离进行测量,分析检测误差产生的原因,推导基于矢量三角法的测量数据精度补偿算法和误差补偿计算公式,通过补偿前后数据的对比分析,结果表明:该测量补偿方法是有效的,能够解决火炮内膛轴线与机器人旋转中心不重合产生误差的问题。

基于YOLOv5算法的炮管内壁污渍识别与定位技术

为准确评估炮管内壁的清理情况,采用YOLOv5人工神经网络结合机器视觉对清理后的155mm口径炮管内壁的污渍进行实时检测。考虑到污渍主要分为油污与残留的铜渍2种,在检测任务中通过图像识别技术分别对污渍进行种类识别、定位以及对污渍面积判定;利用图像像素信息与外部环境信息,基于单目摄像头采集的视频图像,采用改进并训练后的YOLOv5人工神经网络模型作为识别工具对炮管内壁进行实时图像识别。实验结果表明:该检测系统能较好地完成目标检测任务,对目标定位误差控制在5 cm内,满足炮管内壁自动清理中的内壁污渍定位要求。

基于极度梯度提升模型的火炮身管寿命预测

为提高火炮身管寿命预测的精度,将身管内径磨损量作为寿命预测指标,提出基于极度梯度提升(XGBoost)模型的火炮身管寿命预测算法。以火炮弹射数为输入,身管内径磨损量为输出,通过集成多个弱学习器反复训练来拟合前一个弱学习器预测值与实际值之间的残差,从而生成强学习器,并通过在损失函数后加入正则化项及采用剪枝技术降低模型过拟合的风险。基于某型火炮实测数据进行验证,结果表明:该模型不仅有效解决了火炮弹射量与身管内径磨损量之间的映射关系,且相比支持向量机、BP神经网络、灰色模型等现有算法显著提升了身管寿命预测精度。

基于激光圆周扫描和定心修正的火炮身管内膛检测方法研究

火炮身管内膛的状态直接影响着火炮的射击精度和安全性,针对目前激光圆周扫描检测方法存在的定心不准、激光束与管壁垂直度差等现状所导致的检测精度不高的问题,提出一种基于激光圆周扫描的通用口径火炮身管内膛检测定心修正算法。通过校正管道和装置上的姿态传感器完成检测装置轴线与校正管道轴线的平行。修正装置根据定心修正算法完成激光位移传感器旋转轴线与校正管道轴线的重合以及激光束与管壁的精确垂直,完成身管内膛深度特征的精确测量。该修正算法及装置对于提高火炮身管检测精度和效率,研究身管剩余寿命和健康监测有着重要的理论意义和实用价值。

基于应变的火炮身管健康监测和剩余寿命评估的可行性研究

火炮发射过程中产生的烧蚀磨损和疲劳使身管性能逐渐衰退直至不能使用,更为严重的是,时而发生的膛炸事故对人员生命和武器装备安全构成威胁,身管发射安全隐患始终存在。传统的身管寿命评估方法,包括基于尺寸、图像、温度和初速变化来预测身管剩余使用寿命的方法,尚不能科学、准确地评估身管健康状态和剩余使用寿命。针对该问题,在深入分析身管内膛损伤物理机制的基础上,提出以发射时身管外壁面应变为损伤特征参数的身管健康监测方法,揭示了应变与弹丸-身管-发射药系统之间的内在映射关系,阐释了该方法的基本原理以及如何用于评估身管剩余使用寿命。火炮实弹射击数据和数值模拟结果均证实了该方法的科学性、可靠性和实用性。

火炮身管疲劳断裂试验和数值模拟研究

烧蚀磨损和疲劳是影响火炮身管寿命的主要因素,前者使内膛表面产生了随机的烧蚀坑或微裂纹,形成了大量的应力集中区,在疲劳作用下,微裂纹沿身管径向由内向外扩展形成宏观裂纹,一旦其深度达到临界值,继续发射则可能导致身管断裂。针对身管疲劳断裂问题,根据火炮发射过程中载荷作用特点,自主设计了液压冲击疲劳试验装置,在实验室条件下再现了身管服役条件下的疲劳断裂现象。试验结果表明:冲击载荷作用下,身管疲劳断口包括裂纹源、扩展区和瞬断区3个部分,扩展区呈现典型的“海滩条纹”特征;身管外壁面周向应变的演化规律与裂纹的扩展速率变化规律之间存在内在的映射关系,从而可为身管健康监测、发射安全性评估提供新的技术手段。数值模拟采用J-C方程描述炮钢材料的动态本构关系,将材料的应变率效应纳入仿真计算过程中,模拟结果与试验结果之间具有较好的一致性。

Experimental investigation of a cook-off temperature in a hot barrel

The experimental investigations of the effect of contact time/temperature on initiating the cook-off using 7.62 mm calibre cartridge cases(CC) were conducted previously.These cartridges were hlled with commercial off-the-shelf(COTS) double based(DB) propellant(Bulls Eye)and were loaded in a hot chamber.The thermal explosion temperature is of great significance to both weapon designers and safety inspectors as it provides the operational limit and safe operating temperature.For CC under test,it was found that the cook-off temperatures of this propellant were encountered with the heat transfer profile of the simulated gun barrel between 151.4 ℃ and 153.4 ℃,with a reaction occurring in less than300 s after the round was chambered.Usefully,each experiment was found to be consistent and repeatable.

Research on Prediction Model for Erosion and Abrasion of Barrel Based on LSSVM

To predict the erosion and abrasion of high bore pressure tank gun barrel, the least square support vector machine (LSSVM) algorithm was used. Based on the gun firing test data, the prediction model for barrel's erosion and abrasion was established. It was adopted to predict the wear increment of gun barrel. The results show that the prediction values given by the model coincide with the measured data better, and the model can predict the barrel's wear accurately and rapidly.

A Finite Element Solution for Barrel Dynamic Stress

With the APDL language of ANSYS finite element analysis software, the solution program for barrel dynamic stress is developed. The paper describes the pivotal problems of dynamic strength design and provides a foundation for realizing the engineering and programming of barrel dynamic strength design.

火炮身管失效机理与炮钢的发展

火炮身管材料不仅与武器寿命,也与精度、火力等战技指标密切相关。随着指标不断提升,身管服役工况愈加恶劣,而现用身管钢由于热强性低、抗烧蚀弱等问题,已难以满足火炮系统的要求。综述了项目团队在火炮失效机理突破、长寿命枪炮身管系列新材料与制备技术、实弹考核验证及应用等多方面的进展与成果,建立枪炮身管寿命关键参数(初速、精度与立靶密集度、横弹、弹带削光)与身管材料关键性能(室温低温高温强韧性、烧蚀性能、耐磨性能、疲劳性能)间的内在关系,以此为依据提出高热强性身管材料性能特征与提升思路,实现火炮身管新材料高温强度较现用材料均提高1.5~2倍以上,高温磨损率仅1/5~1/2,实弹寿命翻倍提升,且已在多个装备上应用,从材料方面为现用火炮及新一代高膛压、超远程火炮身管延寿和性能提升提供坚实技术支撑。

不同持续射击发数对火炮身管寿命的影响

火炮在服役过程中,面临不同弹种、不同装药(强装药、全装药、减装药、高温装药等),以及快速持续射击与性能检验射击,因此有必要研究不同弹种、不同装药及不同持续射击发数对火炮身管寿命的影响。目前身管寿命评定主要通过国家军用标准等效折算系数将不同弹药类型射弹数等效折算为标准弹药或规定配比的标准弹药,但现有国家军用标准身管寿命等效折算方法仅包含膛压、初速两个因素,未考虑持续射击发数对身管寿命的影响,导致无法有效评估火炮不同持续射击发数下的身管寿命。基于阿伦尼乌斯方程研究身管材料热化学烧蚀模型,分析发现不同持续射击发数对身管寿命具有重要影响,火炮持续射击发数越多,火炮身管寿命越低。通过对比某火炮不同持续射击发数下身管寿命仿真与试验结果,验证了身管热化学烧蚀模型对预测不同持续射击发数下火炮身管寿命的准确性。