Abstract:
This thesis investigates the characteristics of cavitation and its effect on a ship-like box structure subjected to an underwater explosion using the finite element method. When a structure undergoes an underwater explosion, a significant portion of energy is radiated as a shock wave, with the remaining energy transferred to the structure via fluid-structure interaction. The shock wave initially induces positive fluid pressure, followed by tensile pressure due to reflection, which can cause fluid pressure to drop below vapor pressure, leading to cavitation (air bubble formation) in areas of high tensile pressure around the structure. The research explores both one and three-dimensional cases, considering different standoff distances from the structure and depths from the free surface, with the primary objective of defining cavitation's impact on the dynamic response of the structure.
