Determining Critical Notch Size in Missile Launch Tube Front Cover for Separation in Specified Direction

Abstract

Under a specific loading condition, the canister front cover must fracture in a predetermined direction upon impact from the missile radome. To prevent the broken pieces from come into contact with on the missile body, wing or tail again, the fragments should move away from the missile trajectory. In addition, a crucial consideration in the design of the canister front cover is ensuring that the load transferred from the missile radome to the seeker after the collision is less than the load it will experience during mission execution.

This thesis investigates the loads acting on the front cover of the canister and outlines the design steps taken to address them. A material characterization study was conducted on the foam material employed in the cover's production. The outcomes of this study were employed to establish the essential material library for finite element analysis. The dimensions of the notches present on the canister front cover, which cause stress concentration, were identified via explicit analyses. Subsequently, canister front covers, produced according to the notch dimensions determined, were successfully tested in a test setup.