Abstract:
This thesis investigates using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to model and simulate the ship shock trial of the USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG-81). The study compares simulated data from an underwater explosion to actual shock trial data to determine the minimum fluid volume needed to accurately capture a ship's dynamic response. Four fluid meshes of varying sizes were constructed and analyzed, and the results showed that the mesh extending to the maximum cavitation boundary provided the best correlation with the physical trial data. This research demonstrates that computer modeling and simulation are a plausible alternative to live-fire testing, potentially reducing the high costs and environmental hazards associated with shock trials.
