High-dimensional uncertainty quantification of projectile motion in the barrel of a truck-mounted howitzer based on probability density evolution method

This paper proposed an efficient research method for high-dimensional uncertainty quantification of projectile motion in the barrel of a truck-mounted howitzer.Firstly,the dynamic model of projectile motion is established considering the flexible deformation of the barrel and the interaction between the projectile and the barrel.Subsequently,the accuracy of the dynamic model is verified based on the external ballistic projectile attitude test platform.Furthermore,the probability density evolution method(PDEM)is developed to high-dimensional uncertainty quantification of projectile motion.The engineering example highlights the results of the proposed method are consistent with the results obtained by the Monte Carlo Simulation(MCS).Finally,the influence of parameter uncertainty on the projectile disturbance at muzzle under different working conditions is analyzed.The results show that the disturbance of the pitch angular,pitch angular velocity and pitch angular of velocity decreases with the increase of launching angle,and the random parameter ranges of both the projectile and coupling model have similar influence on the disturbance of projectile angular motion at muzzle.

Rigid body dynamics modeling, experimental characterization, and performance analysis of a howitzer

A large caliber howitzer is a complex and cumbersome assembly. Understanding its dynamics and performance attributes' sensitivity to changes in its design parameters can be a very time-consuming and expensive exercise, as such an effort requires highly sophisticated test rigs and platforms. However, the need of such an understanding is crucially important for system designers, users, and evaluators. Some of the key performance attributes of such a system are its vertical jump, forward motion, recoil displacement, and force transmitted to ground through tires and trail after the gun has been fired. In this work, we have developed a rigid body dynamics model for a representative howitzer system, and used relatively simple experimental procedures to estimate its principal design parameters. Such procedures can help in obviating the need of expensive experimental rigs, especially in early stages of the design cycle. These parameters were subsequently incorporated into our simulation model,which was then used to predict gun performance. Finally, we conducted several sensitivity studies to understand the influence of changes in various design parameters on system performance. Their results provide useful insights in our understanding of the functioning of the overall system.

Optimal Guaranteed Cost Control Algorithm for Automatic Chain Shell Magazine

The automatic chain shell magazine is the primary subassembly of the automatic ammunition loading system of a big-caliber howitzer. Due to the change of the shell amount in the magazine during firing, its positioning control is a kind of control problem of systems with uncertain parameters. In order to realize accurate control of shell position, an optimal guaranteed cost control algorithm based on linear matrix inequality (LMI) theory was put forward. The motion equations of the magazine were built, and the motion equations for four special load situations were linearized; according to the basic theory of the guaranteed cost control, the motion equations were written as the standard forms for linear uncertain systems; the optimal guaranteed cost control law for the position control of the magazine was obtained by use of LMI toolbox in MATLAB package. Using this control law, the controlled dynamic simulation of the shell magazine was carried out. The simulation results indicate that the control algorithm has high control precision.