Numerical Analysis of Structural Dynamics for Supercavitating Underwater Vehicles

A finite element model for supercavitating underwater vehicles is developed considering the effect of the connection surfaces between cabins on the structural dynamic response. The frequency and transient dynamic analyses are performed, and the performance of supercavitating underwater vehicles with configurations of flanged and sleeve connections is investigated. The numerical results show that the flanged configuration is more reliable than the sleeve configuration at lower frequencies of loads in the frequency response, and the sleeve configuration is more beneficial in the transient response. The dynamic response analysis for the considered configurations indicates that a further integrated analysis is necessary for the optimal configuration of connection surfaces between cabins of supercavitating vehicles.