Study of Burst Conditions of Thin-Walled Pressure Vessels Subjected to Hypervelocity Impact Available to Purchase

The present paper is devoted to analysis of burst conditions of thin-walled cylindrical pressure vessels subjected to hypervelocity impact of space debris particles. Two types of gas-filled pressure vessels onboard the International Space Station were considered: inhabited or laboratory pressurized modules and onboard system vessels with a gas under high pressure. The central concern of this study is to determine the border between simple perforation and catastrophic fracture of gas-filled pressure vessels of both types under hypervelocity impact. Non-linear fracture mechanics techniques were used to analyze and predict whether a vessel perforation will lead to mere leakage of gas, or whether unstable crack propagation will occur that could lead to catastrophic fracture of the vessel. Damage patterns and mechanisms leading to unstable crack growth are discussed. A model of fracture of an impact damaged pressure vessel is presented. A developed model was successfully applied to the simulation of experimental results obtained at Ernst-Mach-Institute (Germany).